Tofu and Chinese Cabbage with Pork Meatball Stew 豬肉丸子白菜豆腐煲

This is a pretty quick and easy dish that makes a “one pot” with rice dinner. Its simple, light and healthy. You can premake the meatball to stock up in your freezer either cooked or raw. Here is how you can do it:

To store raw – Using Ice cube trays: Grease the ice cube trays. Divide the meatball to portion and place individually to each ice cubes. Wrap or cover up the trays and store it in freezer. When you need to cook them, defrost them and remove the meat cubes from tray and roll it into ball shape before you cook them.

To store cooked – simply cook the meatballs in a pot of water, drain them and slightly greased them with oil. let cool down and store in an air-tight container and stock up in the freezer.

If pork is not an option chicken mince is also a great subsitute.

Ingredients for meatball:

200g Pork Mince
½ small Onion diced
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Corn Flour
1 Egg
1 tsp Chicken stock powder
3 inches Spring onion – finely chopped

Ingredients for the dish:

100g Soft Tofu, cut into cubes or slices
4-5 pieces of Chinese cabbage – chopped into 2 inch pieces
2 cloves Garlic – crushed
1 tbsp Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 L Chicken stock
1-2 cups Water

Method:

1. Slight grease a small pan and cook the diced onion. Set aside and let them cool.
2. Put the minced pork in a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, corn flour, chicken stock powder to the minced pork. Use a pair of chopsticks or wooden spoon to stir the mixture in a circular motion for a few mintues to combine everything.
3. Add in the cooked onion and spring onion. Keep stiring for another few mintues until the mixture is sticky and thick. Wrap up with cling wrap and place in the fridge for roughly 10 minutes.
4. Pour chicken stock in a pot and cook with medium high heat. Add in the garlic, mirin, chinese cabbage and bring the stock to boil.
5. Grease your hands with a bit of oil, pick up some mince and squeeze it through your palm to form a ball in an inch size. Drop the ball to the pot. Do the same with the rest of the mince mixture and occassionally separate the meatballs with a spoon to avoid them to stick together.
6. Once the meatball and the cabbages are cooked, add the tofu and let boil for another few minutes. Top up with water when necessary. Season to taste.
7. Ready to serve!