Soothing Salted Plum Tofu
Minced Pork Soup
This comforting and tangy soup combines tender pork meatballs and silky tofu in a clear broth. Enhanced with salted plum juice, it's the perfect remedy for a dry or scratchy throat.
In Chinese home cooking, salted plums are cherished for their unique balance of savory, sour, and mildly sweet flavors, often utilized as a natural remedy for sore throats. By chopping the plums directly into the pork, every bite of the rustic meatballs bursts with tanginess. The gentle heat of the broth draws out the plums restorative properties, making this quick soup both incredibly soothing and deeply flavorful.
Ingredients
- 200 g minced pork
- 3-4 salted plums
- 1 block soft white tofu
- 2 tbsp salted plum juice
- 1 handful fresh coriander
- to taste salt
- a pinch monosodium glutamate (optional)
Instructions
- 1Prep Ingredients and Chop Pork with Plums
Place the minced pork on a wooden checkered cutting board alongside the salted plums, fresh tofu, and washed coriander. Use a cleaver to chop the salted plums directly together with the minced pork until finely combined.
Tip: Chopping the salted plums directly into the pork distributes the savory-sour flavor evenly throughout the meat before cooking. - 2Boil the Tofu Base
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil on an induction cooktop. Gently add the white tofu pieces into the boiling water first to establish the soup base.
Tip: Add the tofu before the meat so it can absorb the heat and start releasing its delicate flavor into the broth. - 3Shape and Add the Meatballs
Use a spoon to scoop and shape the chopped minced pork and salted plum mixture into scattered meatballs, dropping them directly into the boiling pot with the tofu.
Tip: Drop the meat mixture in small, uneven portions to create rustic, tender meatballs that cook quickly. - 4Pour in Salted Plum Juice
Pour the reserved salted plum juice from a small green bowl directly into the boiling soup pot to enhance the tangy depth of the broth.
Tip: The plum juice provides a characteristic sourness that helps soothe a dry or uncomfortable throat. - 5Season the Soup
Add a little salt and monosodium glutamate into the boiling soup pot using a small white spoon, stirring gently to dissolve the seasonings.
Tip: Taste the broth before adding extra salt, as the salted plums and their juice already contribute significant salinity. - 6Garnish with Coriander and Serve
Finish the soup by adding a handful of fresh chopped coriander into the pot, giving it a quick mix before turning off the heat.
Tip: Add the coriander right at the end to preserve its vibrant green color and fresh herbal aroma.
