Meatballs are one of the handiest foods to have ready, for soups, noodles, stir-fries… whatever you feel like. Now we like mix the meat with tofu to make tofu meatballs — it’s lighter, tasty, and perfect for days when you want to eat a bit less meat.

🥢 How to Make Tofu Meatballs

Take some fresh tofu and steam it first to get rid of the extra water. Mash it up, then mix it with an equal amount of ground meat. Toss in some chopped cilantro for flavor, and a little salt if you like. Add one egg white to bind everything together, mix well, and let it sit for a bit.

Heat some oil over medium heat, and use a spoon to shape the mix into balls. Gently slide them into the oil and fry until they’re golden and crispy on the outside. Once they cool and the oil’s drained, you can portion them out and freeze.

And here we suggest a recipe for a comfort soup cooked with Tofu meatball —- A cozy bowl of soup that’s both sweet and refreshing.

🥢 Here’s how we make it:

1. In a regular wok or pot, fill it with water half full, then drop in a few slices of ham. Boil over medium heat till the broth turns light white and full of umami.
2. Add a couple of dried chilies and 6 fried tofu meatballs. Let them simmer for about 5 minutes (adjust depending on whether your meatballs are fully thawed).
3. Put in baby corns (cut into shorter sections), some bamboo shoot slices, and mushrooms. Simmer on low heat for another 3–5 minutes.
4. Add sliced tomatoes and give it around 3 minutes to soften and sweeten the broth.
5. Finally, the star ingredient—cordyceps flower (aka cordyceps militaris). It has a unique herbal aroma and is healthy for the body. It is too delicate, so as to cook only for the 2–3 minutes. If longer, you’ll lose its flavor.
6. Before turning off the heat, season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper.

The tofu meatballs stay juicy and springy, the baby corn adds a sweet crunch, and all the ingredients come together in a light but flavorful broth.