Thai rice soup with pork balls, ginger and poached egg

Thought brunch was just avo on toast? This Thai rice soup with pork balls, ginger and poached egg says otherwise.

This is great way to start the day, Thai style. The Thai rice soup with pork balls, ginger and poached egg is comforting and really flavourful.  Have extra chilli powder, soy sauce and white pepper on hand so you can customise your own bowl.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 tbsp of deep-fried garlic oil

Method

First make the fried garlic in oil, pound five garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar until a fairly fine paste (or finely chop) then fry in five tablespoons of plain oil until golden, drain the garlic reserving the oil. When the oil has cooled, return the garlic.  This will keep for two weeks in a sealed container.

For the pork balls, pound together the garlic, coriander roots and white pepper into a fine paste. Mix this paste with the pork mince adding in the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Knead the pork for one to two minutes to encourage the springy texture. Roll into balls roughly one inch in diameter, and then poach in simmering water for five minutes or until cooked (take one out and cut in half to check). Set aside.

Bring a pan of the chicken stock to a simmer and add the cooked rice and cabbage and continue to slowly simmer – the soup will start to thicken as the starch comes out of the rice.

Add the white pepper, light soy, oyster sauce, sugar and salt.  Add the pork balls and gently crack in the two eggs, allowing them to poach in the soup. When the eggs are cooked but still soft you are ready to serve.

Serve the soup by gently ladling a portion of soup into each bowl, getting one egg and half the pork balls. Garnish with the ginger, spring onions, chilli powder, coriander and a teaspoon of the garlic oil.

Recipe courtesy of Singha Beer