The Nonya pork, shrimp, and crab ball soup Recipe Nonya cuisine is very creative and distinctive; it is a blend of Chinese and Malaysian influences, with Indonesian and Thai overtones. The food is noted for its abundant use of fresh cilantro, yet fewer dried spices than are found in typical Malay cuisine. Coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds are the main choices.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
8 fresh asparagus stems
8oz (225g) lean ground pork
5oz (150g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
5oz (150g) crab meat, picked over
2 fresh red chiles, seeded and
finely chopped
3 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1⁄2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, any green inner
shoots removed, slivered
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 1⁄2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed
handful of fresh cilantro leaves
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Method:
1. Cover the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and finely chop, reserving the mushroom liquid. Slice the asparagus spears on an angle, into 3cm 1 1⁄4in (3cm) spears. Set aside.
2. To make the meatballs, combine the chopped mushrooms, pork, shrimp, crab meat, chile, scallion, egg, and cornstarch in a bowl. Season well with salt and black pepper. Take a small piece of mixture and fry it in a small frying pan. Taste the mixture, and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
3. To make the soup, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the garlic slivers for 1–2 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the soy sauce and reserved
mushroom liquid to the stock.
4. Meanwhile, shape the pork mixture into balls about 1in (2.5cm) in diameter. Drop the balls into the simmering liquid—they will take 4–5 minutes to cook. When ready, they will float to the surface.
5. Two minutes before serving, add the asparagus spears. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, and a little lime juice, which will highlight the flavors. Add the bean sprouts a minute before removing the soup from the heat. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and add the poached pork balls. Garnish with the slivers of fried garlic and lots of fresh cilantro.
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| Nonya pork, shrimp, and crab ball soup Recipe |
