Pumpkin and Pork Meat Balls Soup

Pumpkin and Pork Meatballs Soup is a delectable dish in Khmer country cuisine, highlighting the Cambodian appreciation for pumpkin due to its delicious taste and nutritional benefits. Pumpkin is not only flavorful but also rich in potassium, vitamin A, and high beta-carotene. This ancient vegetable has been part of Cambodian culture for thousands of years, with historical medicinal use where village medicine men sun-dried pumpkin and crushed it into a powder to treat ailments such as headaches and fevers. Modern research has confirmed pumpkin’s health benefits, including its role in fighting cancer and preventing the hardening of arteries, a leading cause of stroke and heart attacks, owing to its high beta-carotene content.

The ingredients for this nutritious soup include grounded pork, fish sauce, salt, sugar, black pepper, minced green onion, water, and bite-sized cubes of peeled, seeded pumpkin. The preparation involves crafting small pork meatballs by mixing the grounded pork with fish sauce, salt, sugar, black pepper, and green onion, which are then set aside for later use.

The cooking process begins by bringing water to a boil in a soup pot. The small pork meatballs are added to the boiling water and cooked until tender. The pumpkin cubes are introduced to the pot, cooking until they reach the desired tenderness. The soup is seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper, enhancing its overall flavor profile. The dish is garnished with minced green onion, adding a fresh and aromatic touch.

Pumpkin and Pork Meatballs Soup is best enjoyed hot and served with rice, providing a comforting and nutritious meal. The recipe concludes with an invitation to savor this delightful Khmer soup, emphasizing both its taste and the health benefits associated with the inclusion of pumpkin in this traditional dish.

Ingredients

Directions to make Pumpkin and Pork Meat Balls Soup

1. In a small bowl, mix grounded pork with fish sauce, salt, sugar, black pepper and green onion, makes small pork meatballs, when done set a side.
2. Put water in a soup pot, cook till water bubbling.
3. Drops pork meatballs in boiling water, cook till meat tender.
4. Add pumpkin, cook till pumpkin tender.
5. Seasoning with fish sauce, sugar and black pepper.
6. Top with green onion.

Serve hot with rice.

Enjoy it

Related: Zucchini Soup with Grounded Pork