Pork Meatball Spinach Soup

Ingredients

• 4 medium dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 tbsp corn starch (for cleaning mushrooms)
• 10-12 ounces spinach , washed thrice
• ½ pound pork butt (with at least 20% fat)
• 8 cups water
• Salt
• Marinade for meatballs:
• ¼ tsp plus 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp corn starch

Steps

1. Soak dried mushrooms in cold water for at least 5 hours. Rinse mushrooms under running water and drain. Rub the mushrooms with the starch to remove dirt and then rinse. Cut the stems then squeeze as much water as possible. Pat the mushrooms dry with paper towels. Cut into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
2. Cut pork into thin strips and then chop into smaller pieces. Get the meat together, pat down slightly and chop repeatedly until it becomes ground meat.
3. Transfer to your now ground pork in a mixing bowl. Stir for a few times until the meat gets sticky. Pour in the marinade and mix well. Add the mushroom and mix again. Divide into 1½-inch portions. Roll into meatballs and squeeze tight slightly. You’ll be able to make 12 meatballs.
4. In a large pot, pour in 8 cups of water and bring to a boil on high heat. Add the spinach and cook til the stems are just softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the spinach and transfer to a bowl. Add the meatballs and stir. You’ll know their cooked when they float. Season with salt to your own taste. Return the spinach to pot and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat.
5. Transfer to serving bowls. Serve immediately.