Ooo, great choice 😍
Let’s do this properly — Indonesian Meatball Soup (Bakso), the cozy, street-food classic.
🍜 Indonesian Meatball Soup (Bakso)
Light, savory broth + bouncy meatballs + noodles = comfort in a bowl.
🥩 Meatballs (Bakso)
(Traditional texture is springy, not crumbly)
Ingredients
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1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or beef + chicken mix)
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3 cloves garlic
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp white pepper
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1 tsp sugar
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2 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch (important!)
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½ cup ice-cold water
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Optional: 1 egg white (for extra bounce)
Method
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Blend garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, and ice water until smooth.
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Add beef and starch. Mix or pulse until sticky and elastic.
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Chill 15 minutes.
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Shape into balls using a spoon or squeeze through your hand.
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Poach in barely simmering water until they float + cook through.
Remove and set aside.
🍲 Broth
Ingredients
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6 cups beef stock
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3 cloves garlic, crushed
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1 small onion or 2 shallots
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½ tsp white pepper
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Salt to taste
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Optional: dash of fish sauce or MSG (very authentic 👀)
Method
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Simmer everything 15–20 minutes. Strain if you want it clear.
🍜 Bowl Assembly
You’ll need
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Cooked egg noodles or rice noodles
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Bakso meatballs
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Fried shallots
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Chopped scallions
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Celery leaves (classic!)
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Sambal (optional but recommended)
Assemble
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Add noodles to bowl
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Top with meatballs
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Ladle hot broth over
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Finish with shallots, scallions, celery, sambal
🔥 Street-Style Add-Ons
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Tofu or fried tofu puffs
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Siomay (steamed dumplings)
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Boiled eggs
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Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) drizzle
🧠 Pro Tips
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Tapioca starch = authentic springy texture
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Keep mixture cold for bounce
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Don’t boil aggressively — gentle heat is key
If you want, I can:
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Simplify this for home-cook speed
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Make a chicken bakso version
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Or explain how vendors get that perfectly bouncy texture