This Cabbage and Pork Meatball Soup is easy to make and full of great umami flavor! It's an Asian-inspired recipe that whips up pretty quickly and with savory, mouthwatering flavor!
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One thing you may not know about the blogging community, is that unlike many other industries it is extremely supportive and friendly. It's just that: a community. I find that the vast majority of other bloggers that I've been in contact with are so gracious and eager to help each other and collaborate.
I am part of a small group of other bloggers friends on Facebook. We communicate on a daily basis and are there for each other through the peaks and valleys of our blogging journey (major takeaway: find your tribe!). It has been such a game changer for me as a blogger and as a person!
I am extra excited to share that one of these friends has her first cookbook being published and released on May 23rd! Charmaine is the blogging mastermind behind the blog Wok and Skillet. She was born and raised in Malaysia and although she spent much of her life in the USA, she currently resides with her family in Penang, Malaysia once again.
Charmaine has a wealth of knowledge about Asian cuisine, so it was no surprise when a publisher reached out to her to collaborate on a cookbook. And thus, The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook was born.
Now I have actually been lucky enough to get to test a few of the recipes that are in this cookbook, and let me tell you- there is some major deliciousness happening here.
I love to eat Asian food in general- there are so many different facets to Asian cuisine from a variety of different countries and I truly love this melting pot of flavors. Sadly, I don't cook in this style very often, but that has everything to do with the fact that I am a total newbie in this area and severely lack the knowledge to do justice to these fantastic dishes.
And that's another thing I love about this cookbook (which I was able to read recently). This book contains a slew of fantastic recipes- 88 to be exact, which Charmaine tells me is a lucky number in the Chinese culture! She provides a comprehensive guide to all facets of this style of cooking. In short, you're also getting a crash course in Chinese cooking from an expert!
Testing these recipes was such a fun experience for me and I absolutely fell in love with this soup that Charmaine has so graciously allowed me to share with you. The flavor is seriously off the charts in all of it's umami goodness. Those tender and delicious meatballs are not to be missed (side note, I never would have thought to include shrimp and pork together in a meatball- my mind was blown in the best way possible!).
The comfort-factor is at an all-time high and when I brought some of it to my Mom and Dad, they were pretty enthusiastic about the results! And the fact that it cooked up super quickly and easily also played a part in me practically begging Charmaine to share this recipe once the book because available to the public.
Now, The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook is officially available for pre-order! I strongly encourage you to scoop this cookbook up and get your cooking on!
This giveaway has ended but you can still purchase The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook- trust me- it's amazing!
Even more exciting is that Charmaine has agreed to giveaway one (1) cookbook to a very lucky reader!
Here are the details:
Details: This giveaway will run through 5/18/17 and a winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email to obtain a shipping address.
Terms and Conditions: One (1) copy of The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook: Fresh Recipes to Sizzle, Steam, and Stir-Fry Restaurant Favorites at Home by Charmaine Ferrara ($14.97 value). The winner will be notified via email on or around 5/19/2017. This giveaway is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are at least 18 years old as of the date of entry, except anyone directly associated with The Healhy Wok Chinese Cookbook or The Life Jolie. This promotion is void outside the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and where prohibited.
Good Luck!
Other cozy soup recipes that I love include:
- Rosie’s Famous Zucchini Soup
- Aunt Jeanne’s Cabbage Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Chicken and Parmesan Soup with Spinach and Orzo
- Best-Ever Tomato Soup
- (Sort of) Detox Lentil Soup
Asian Soup with Cabbage and Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 Ladle
Ingredients
For the pork meatballs:
- ½ pound ground pork
- ¼ pound minced shrimp 4 to 6 large shrimp
- ¼ cup water chestnuts finely diced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
For the soup:
- 10 cups Basic Chinese Chicken Stock page 25 of The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook, or store bought chicken stock
- 2 cups napa cabbage cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup carrot sliced or shredded
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- In a bowl, mix the ground pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and cornstarch.
- Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes.
To make the soup:
- In a wok or dutch oven over high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
- Add the cabbage and carrot, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Roll about heaping tablespoons of pork mixture into a ball and continue until all the pork mixture is used.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the boiling soup one at a time. Avoid stirring.
- As the meatballs cook, they will rise to the top. They will take about 3 minutes to cook through.
- Add the salt, sesame oil, and soy sauce just before turning off the heat. Serve immediately over vermacelli.
Notes
- Don't skip the marinating time. Letting the meatball mixture rest for 15 minutes makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
- Drop meatballs in gently. Keep them intact by adding them one at a time, then avoid stirring as they cook.
- Watch for the float. The meatballs will rise to the surface when they're cooked through. That's your cue that they're done!
- Add sesame oil at the end. Stirring it in just before serving preserves that nutty, aromatic flavor.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can mix and refrigerate the meatball mixture up to a day in advance. The vegetables can also be prepped and stored in the fridge.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Nutrition
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