Today I am learning to make minced chicken meatballs. Found a handful recipes; most of the recipes are for Wedding soup. I am doing a simple version like grandma and mother but with a bit of me. I added extra ingredients.

Google: “Chicken meatballs are small, round balls made primarily from ground chicken, often combined with breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasonings. They can be baked, fried, or grilled and are a versatile food that can be used in various dishes like pasta, soups, or as part of a meal. Using ground chicken instead of beef or pork reduces fat and calorie intake. High protein content helps in muscle building and repair. Common binders include breadcrumbs (like panko or regular), eggs, or sometimes ricotta cheese. “

I am adding it to my favourite noodles: shin ram yun and spinach leaves. Glad it turned out perfectly intact. Well, it’s flavourful, comforting and delicious. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

Drumsticks stock

12 drumsticks
4-6 c water, just enough to cover the drumsticks slightly above 1”
4 garlic cloves
1 c extra water (OPT)
1 Tsp chicken powder stock (OPT)
1” ginger
salt
black peppercorns

Chicken meatballs

500 g minced chicken
2 stalks spring onion, finely chopped, separate white and green parts
1-2 Tbs lemongrass paste (bought a tube)
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tsp jalapeno, blend super fine
2 Tsp onion powder
2 Tsp 5 spice powder
1 Tsp dried oregano
1 Tsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 Tsp dried basil
1/4 Tsp cumin powder
salt
pepper

Soup

1 1/2 L chicken stock
4-6 bunches spinach, stems removed and cut to bite size
1 sterilized jar drumstick stock about 500 ml
half the thumb size ginger
4 garlic cloves, removed skin and lightly smash
about 1 Tbs black peppercorn, put into a soup pouch
salt
pepper

Additional

1 packet Shin ram yun noodles
hot boiling water

Method

Do chicken stock one day in advance

In a pot, add drumsticks, 4 c water and bring it to a simmer on low heat about 35 minutes. As it simmers, skim the foam (impurities) off the top with a fine-mesh skimmer or a spoon. When it is done, strain stock through sieve into another pot (I usually line it with a muslin cloth).

Add remaining stock ingredients into pot with drumsticks. Simmer very gently for 1-2.5 hours. The longer the stock, the more flavour it will have, but the drumsticks will lose flavour. Remove the drumsticks from the pot once it has cooked.

Let it cool and remove meat from bones. Keep in an airtight container in fridge. Add in 1 extra cup of water and powder stock into stock. Bring it to boil for more stock and check seasoning. Switch off hob. When the stock had cool completely, spoon into sterilized jars with tight lids, label name and date make before you refrigerate them.

When you want the chicken pieces, use a clean dry spoon to scoop the amount you want. You can add the chicken pieces with anything. At least you have ready cook meat. Save you time. You can freeze them if you want to keep them for more than 4 weeks to 6 weeks.

The following day

Put minced chicken, and the meatballs ingredients into a large metal bowl. Wash hands clean and wet hands; mixed well minced chicken and all the ingredients. Pushing them to aside on the large metal bowl. Remember grandma use to take a handful of the mixed well minced chicken and ingredients; flopping back into the clear side of the bowl; until the side with mixed well minced chicken ingredients are empty. Repeat flop/throw method for 4-6 times. Remember always using wet hands to form into balls and place on a lined baking tray ; I made mine slightly bigger than grandma and mother’s chicken meatballs size.

Note from grandma to mother: Flopping mixed minced chicken and ingredients back into the bowl before making them into balls, are to helps distribute the ingredients evenly and ensures the meatballs are well-bound and won’t fall apart during cooking. It also helps to remove air pockets that might lead to uneven cooking. This method can help to distribute moisture evenly, preventing some meatballs from becoming dry and others from being too wet.

When the meatballs are done, put them into fridge until needed. Now heat on medium heat the chicken stock and drumstick stock in a big pot and add garlic, ginger and black peppercorn in pouch. Bring to a simmering boil. Add a pepper and salt to taste.

Use a small strainer; place 3 balls at a time inside, and gently drop into the simmering stock. Low the heat to low heat, gently simmer chicken meatballs until cooked through about 10-15 minutes. It’s best to check for doneness by testing one meatball. Bring out, cut into half; if cooked it’s firm bouncy. Grandma and mother said they will float up.

In the last 5-7 minutes, add in spinach stems first; cook for 2-5 minutes. Then the leaves 2-3 minutes, in batches can help prevent overcrowding and ensure even cooking. Spinach leaves wilt and become tender–but not too long that they lose their vibrant colour. Simmering the soup with a lid on can help to preserve the spinach’s vibrant colour. 

Open the shin ram yun noodles, empty them into deep bowl. Pour hot boiling water into the noodles. Microwave for 5-6 minutes until noodles are cooked. Bring out from microwave and drain the water. Open the condiments and pour into the noodles in bowl. Give a couple of mixes.

Now the soup is ready. Switch off hob. Remove the lid. Spoon out 4 meatballs, some spinach leaves and enough soup. Give a couple of stirs again. Enjoy with a glass of white wine!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2022/06/02/shin-ram-yun-chicken-meatballs-and-vegetables-noodles-soup/

#helenscchinrecipes
#asianculinarycurrynoodles
#cookingforthefun
#foodiesplus