Sanctuary from The Mad World
Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch. - Orson Welles

Serving: 30 pieces

Prized for its crunchy texture, the Indonesian meatball is famous even in far away land. My maternal grand uncle who lives in Mauritius never failed to have a bowl when he came for visits.

Yet, I grew up hearing stories about how difficult it was to make beef meatballs. Myths about the crunchiness are abound: from the use of extremely fresh and therefore rigid piece of beef to formalin. Yes, that embalming ingredients.

When my friend put up this simple recipe, I just had to try. It was garlicky and tasty but not unnaturally crunchy.  I think, considering the unreliable supply of beef meatballs here in town, I’ll make mine from now on.

Thanks Ira!

PS to the Indonesians: The meatballs have the texture of ‘rough’ bakso like ‘bakso urat’ and not the smooth one we’re used to at the street-side eatery.

Ingredients:
500 ground beef (freeze for one hour)
1 clove, thumb-size garlic, grated
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar
50 g tapioca flour

Soup:
Cooking water
Salt and pepper

Garnish (opt):
Chopped spring onion
Chili Sauce


Directions:
Mix all ingredients except for the tapioca flour with a food processor. When combined, add the flour in batches until the mixture is sticky.

Boil water in a pot. Scoop the meat mixture into balls (I use my no. 100 ice-cream scooper) and dump them into the boiling water. Cook until meatballs float. Serve in the stock as soup and topped with chili sauce and chopped spring onion.