Recipe: Tofu with Minced Pork Soup

With the arrival of the monsoon season, hot bowls of soup are both comforting and warm for the cold. My mother will cook plenty of soup dishes for my family, such as herbal soups and vegetable soups. 

In Thailand, Tofu with Minced Pork Soup is very popular among the local community. It is fast and straightforward to make so you may try this on your own when you want something different from the typical Chinese soups.

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• Cilantro stems or roots, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of white peppercorns
• Ground pork with fats (to enhance the flavour)
• 2 tbsp of light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of fish sauce
• 5 cups of chicken broth or pork broth (low-sodium if possible)
• 1 packet of firm tofu
• 2 scallions, cut into small pieces
• Cilantro leaves

How To Make It?

1. In a pestle and mortar, add in the garlic, cilantro stems or roots and peppercorns.
2. Crush and pound this mixture until there are no chunks.
3. Cut up the tofu to small cubes and pack them in cold water. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, add in the ground pork. To marinate this, mix in soy sauce and fish sauce.
5. Mix them evenly using your hands. Set aside.
6. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Turn down the heat to let it simmer. While doing this, form ball shapes using the pork mixture.
7. Slowly and gently, dip the pork balls in the simmering broth. Do this carefully to avoid the pork balls from splitting and breaking open.
8. Cook the pork balls until they float, this process will take up around 3 minutes.
9. In the broth, add the remaining soy sauce and fish sauce.
10. Gently and carefully, add in the tofu cubes and scallions into the simmering broth.
11. You may adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
12. After about 5 minutes, turn off the heat and pour the soup into serving bowls.
13. Garnish the soup with some cilantro leaves.
14. Serve while hot.

Tips: You may drink this Tofu with Minced Pork Soup on its own, or you can pair with a bowl of rice and other dishes. Either way, this dish is a delight, especially in cold weather.

Happy cooking!