Chicken Balls Noodle Soup

The sense of smell can be so powerful! A couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what the Wansuy herb was and what importance it had in my life. But as I was shopping for parsley, I accidentally bought a pack of Wansuy only realizing my mistake when I was home. I smelled the herb and oh my gosh, so many memories came to mind. I literally had flashes of my past.


You see, from the age 3-8 years old, we lived in France. In a little town just outside Paris. Once a month, my parents and I would go to Paris, specifically Chinatown. In Chinatown, my mother would go crazy shopping for rice, Asian vegetables and fruits, pastries, and what else. On top, there was a fantastic Chinese restaurant. My introduction to Chinese cuisine. This restaurant was formal. We liked it so much that my dad would recommend it to other French-Filipino couples and we would eat there often. Across the street, there was a more low-key Chinese restaurant that served individual soups. My only memory of that place is this amazing Beef Meatball Soup that was just delicious. This soup introduced me to the art of using chopsticks.

Wansuy is also known as Coriander and Cilantro.

I smelled the Wansuy herb and immediately this soup came to mind. This was why the soup was so incredibly amazing. I had just found the secret! I've made lots of soups in the past, but I felt there was always something missing. Yes, through the years, I've never forgotten that damn Beef Meatball Soup from Chinatown.

So only imagine my excitement when I realized I had the "SECRET" in my hands. There was no way I was making anything else tonight but soup. I just had to get the rest of the ingredients going, I just had to replace the beef with chicken. Everything else was on-hand.


CHICKEN BALLS NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients:

500 grams ground chicken
1 large egg
1 liter chicken broth
2 handfuls of wansuy
1 pack (200 grams) Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
fish sauce
salt
pepper
sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 pack (250 grams) vermicelli / rice noodles, cooked in boiled water and drained


Directions:

In a bowl mix the ground chicken, 1 handful of chopped wansuy, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and egg. Mix well, preferably with your hands. Form into balls. Set aside.

 

Prepare the broth by boiling the chicken broth in a deep pan. When it starts to boil, add the sliced mushrooms. When it starts to boil again, add in the chicken balls carefully. Lower the heat and let it simmer until chicken balls cook through. Season with fish sauce and a dash of sesame oil. Don't overdo with the sesame oil! Turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper if you desire. Top with the other handful of fresh wansuy. 

The best way to serve this is by serving each component separately Then in individual bowls, transfer noodles. Then broth. Top with toasted garlic and chopped green onions.