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Bakwan kepiting (crab and pork meatball soup)
Nyonya pork and crab meatballs in a clear pork broth with bamboo shoots
Bakwan kepiting is the Peranakan soup that Nyonya families in Singapore serve at the Chinese New Year reunion dinner; the round meatballs stand for a family gathered whole and complete. The balls are minced pork and sweet crab meat, bound with egg and bulked with shredded bamboo shoot, and they simmer in a clear, gently garlicky pork broth until tender and springy. This home version uses pasteurised cooked crab meat instead of live crabs, so it is easier and kinder. Serve it in small bowls with fried garlic and rice, before the richer curries. Chef's tip: keep the broth at a lazy simmer once the balls go in; a rolling boil clouds the soup and breaks them apart.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 ⅓ lb pork bones or ribs
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 4 cloves garliclightly crushed
- 5 ½ oz bamboo shootscanned, drained and cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
For the meatballs
- 14 oz pork mince
- 7 oz pasteurised cooked crab meatpicked over for shell
- 3 ½ oz bamboo shootscanned, drained, finely chopped and squeezed dry
- 1 eggbeaten
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
To serve
- 2 tbsp fried garlic (optional)
- 2 spring onions (optional)finely sliced
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅓ lb pork bones or ribs in a pot of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse off the scum.
10 minStep 2: Return the bones to the clean pot with 8 ¼ cups water and 4 cloves garlic, bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered on a low heat for 40 minutes, skimming now and then, until the broth tastes savoury and is still clear.
40 minStep 3: While the broth simmers, mix 14 oz pork mince, 7 oz pasteurised cooked crab meat, 3 ½ oz bamboo shoots, 1 egg, 2 tbsp cornflour, 1 tbsp fish sauce, ½ tsp ground white pepper and 2 cloves garlic in a bowl, stirring in one direction for 3 minutes until it turns sticky and holds together.
6 minStep 4: With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls the size of a walnut, about 25 g each, and set them on an oiled plate in the fridge.
15 minStep 5: Lift the bones out of the broth, add 5 ½ oz bamboo shoots, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp light soy sauce and bring back to a gentle simmer.
4 minStep 6: Lower the meatballs into the broth one by one and simmer over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, until they float, feel springy and reach 160°F in the centre. Common mistake: boiling them hard, which makes the soup cloudy and the balls crack.
10 minStep 7: Taste for salt and ladle into bowls with 4–5 meatballs each. Scatter with 2 tbsp fried garlic, 2 spring onions and 1 handful fresh coriander and serve hot.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bakwan kepiting (crab and pork meatball soup) take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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