Bakso - Indonesian Meatball Soup

The sound of a spoon hitting a bowl signals that the bakso cart is coming down the street. Indonesia's beloved meatball soup is all about two things: the bouncy, almost springy texture of the meatballs and a clear broth that tastes purely of meat and garlic. The secret to the resilient meatballs is tapioca flour and a thorough beating of the mixture. At home, you build your own bowl with golden egg noodles, crispy shallots, and as much chili as you dare.

• Cuisine: Indonesian
• Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Blend the minced beef, two cloves of garlic, tapioca flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper until you have a smooth, sticky mixture. The finer it's blended, the bouncier the meatballs will be.
2. Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs by squeezing it between your thumb and forefinger.
3. Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil and carefully add the meatballs. They are done when they float to the surface.
4. Bring the broth to a boil with the remaining clove of garlic and light soy sauce, then season with salt until it tastes clear and rich.
5. Cook the egg noodles separately according to package instructions, and rinse them briefly so they don't cloud the soup.
6. Blanch the mini bok choy very briefly in the broth to retain its color.
7. Divide the noodles, meatballs, and greens into bowls, and pour the boiling broth over them.
8. Top with sliced spring onions, crispy shallots, and chili, and serve immediately with sweet chili sauce on the side.

Tips

• Keep the mixture cold throughout the process - cold ingredients give the characteristic bite.
• Place bowls of sweet chili sauce, sambal, and lime wedges on the table so each guest can customize their own bowl.
• For a vegetarian version, make meatballs from firm tofu and finely chopped mushrooms and use a rich vegetable broth.
• The meatballs can be frozen after cooking and reheated directly in the broth on a busy evening.