Bakso
608kcal38.6g protein20.1g fat64.6g carbs*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list. The label is still the last word.
Restrictions
Diets
No porkNo alcohol
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
Servings:
| 500 g | lean beef (very cold, cubed) |
| 65 g | tapioca starch |
| 2 tsp | salt |
| 3 clove | garlic |
| ½ tsp | white pepper |
| 120 ml | ice water |
| 2 l | beef stock |
| 300 g | rice noodles |
Optional
Not counted above. The dish works without them.
| ¼ cup | fried shallots |
| 3 unit | scallions (sliced) |
Steps
- prep15 minbeef and processor bowl very coldChill the beef until firm at the edges and keep the processor bowl cold. Bakso depends on extracting sticky meat proteins without warming the mixture; warm paste loses the tight, springy texture that defines the meatball.
- mix5 minsmooth, glossy and tackyProcess the beef with salt, garlic and white pepper, adding the ice water gradually. Add tapioca and continue only until the paste is smooth and clings strongly to itself. Stop if the mixture begins to feel warm.
- poach4 minone test meatball in gently simmering waterPoach one small test ball before shaping the batch. It should set into a cohesive, resilient meatball; if it crumbles, process the paste a little longer while cold. Correct seasoning now rather than after the whole batch is formed.
- poach12 minwater steaming but not violently boilingShape the remaining paste into balls and poach gently in batches until they float and are cooked through. A hard boil knocks the meatballs around and can make their exterior coarse before the center sets.
- simmer15 minclear savory brothBring the beef stock to a gentle simmer and season to taste. Keep the broth clean and relatively light; the meatballs are the focus, and an aggressively reduced broth obscures their texture.
- boil5 minnoodles just tenderCook the rice noodles separately according to their thickness, then drain promptly. Cooking them in the serving broth releases starch and muddies a soup whose canonical presentation is clear.
- top3 minserve immediatelyDivide noodles and hot meatballs among bowls, ladle over the clear broth, and finish with fried shallots and scallions if using. Serve immediately while the meatballs are hot and springy.