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–+ servings
Cooked almondigas scooped by a spoon.
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Almondigas Soup with Misua

Pork meatballs, thin wheat noodles, and vegetables in a light savory broth.
Course Soup
Cuisine Filipino
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 412kcal
Author Nora Rey
Cost $7-$9

Equipment

  • Large pot

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 4 ounces shrimp peeled & deveined, then finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot finely chopped
  • 1-2 scallions finely chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

For the soup

  • A small knob of ginger julienned
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms halved if large
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon chicken base (or bouillon)
  • 1-2 zucchini
  • 4 ounces misua noodles
  • Fish sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • Neutral oil
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup hot water until softened. Slice and save the soaking liquid.
  • Finely chop the shrimp, garlic, onion, scallions, and carrot.
  • In a bowl, combine the ground pork, shrimp, chopped vegetables, egg, cornstarch, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined, then shape into small bola-bola.
  • In a pot over medium heat, sauté the ginger in oil until fragrant. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.
  • Pour in the water and mushroom soaking liquid. Add the chicken base or bouillon and bring to a boil.
  • Gently add the bola-bola to the broth. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until cooked through.
  • Add the zucchini and cook until just tender.
  • Add the misua and gently stir to separate the strands. Cook for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Notes

  • Ground pork: Use pork with a little fat so the bola-bola stays juicy. Ground chicken also works.
  • Shrimp: Adds a light seafood flavor and a nice bouncy texture.
  • Ginger: Adds flavor to the broth. Lemongrass also works.
  • Shiitake mushrooms: These add more umami flavor to the broth.
  • Zucchini: It is usually made with patola, but zucchini is similar and is easier to find. You can also use sayote or upo.
  • Misua: These are thin wheat noodles that cook very quickly. You can also use rice vermicelli or glass noodles.
 
Cooking Tips
  • Chop the shrimp and vegetables very finely so the bola-bola holds together.
  • Wet your hands lightly to keep the mixture from sticking.
  • Simmer gently so the bola-bola stays tender.
  • Add the misua last since it cooks fast.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1055mg | Potassium: 456mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1524IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg