Tsukune "Matzah Ball" Soup
I made this Japanese "matzah ball" soup for our Seder meal. It's a soup that can be enjoyed any time of the year you're craving some good old chicken soup, though.
This recipe is an adaptation of one I saw on Tori Avey's website by La Fuji Mama. My version incorporates similar chicken tsukune meatballs, while the soup is my classic chicken stock to make it taste closer to a matzah ball soup.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 green onions ends removed and finely chopped
- 3/4 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- vegetable oil
Soup
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 carrots peeled and cut diagonally to 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the tsukune: Combine all ingredients except the vegetable oil into a large mixing bowl and mix with your hands to combine. Rub a dime-size amount of vegetable oil onto the palms of your hands, and start making meatballs that are 1½ inches in diameter, slightly smaller than a golf ball. Place them on a baking sheet. If the meat starts sticking to your hands, add more oil to your hands. You should get about 18 balls.
- Make the soup: In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce to low and add the carrots. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots and set aside. They should be firm and hold their shape but not be crunchy.
- Turn the heat back to low. With a spoon, skim the surface of the soup of any white bits that have floated to the surface and discard. Return carrots to the soup.
- To serve, sprinkle a bit of dill into empty bowls and pour the hot soup and two meatballs over it. Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper into each bowl and serve immediately.