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Chinese Cucumber Soup with Fish Balls

Learn how to make this quick, refreshing, and comforting Taiwanese style soup that goes well with your favorite Taiwanese/Chinese meal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Servings: 4
Calories: 74kcal
Author: Edwina

Ingredients

  • 1 cucumber
  • 6-8 fish balls leave them whole or slice them in half for easier eating.
  • 1 tablespoon cooking wines
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 rib celery finely chopped
  • 1 small handfull chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • salt
  • white pepper powder

Instructions

  • Peel the cucumber with a peeler, trim the ends and cut it in half lengthwise.
  • Use a spoon to scoop out the soft seeds, and cut it in half lengthwise again before slicing each half diagonally into the width of your index finger.
  • Add cucumber and 4 cups of water in a 2 qt pot, cover and bring it to a boil and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Gently drop in the fish balls and add 1 tablespoon of cooking wine to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil.
  • Turn off the heat, add fish sauce, white pepper powder, cilantro and minced celery, a drizzle of sesame oil and season with salt to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and enjoy it with your favorite Taiwanese/Chinese dishes.

Notes

    1. The fish balls contribute a lot of flavor to the broth, so the type you choose will affect the overall taste of the soup. 
    2. Adjust the cooking time based on your preferred cucumber texture. For a firmer bite, add the fish balls as soon as the soup comes to a boil; for a softer texture, simmer the cucumbers for 1–2 extra minutes before adding the fish balls.
    1. Minced celery adds great aroma and depth to the soup, so don’t skip it!
    1. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can omit it or replace it with chopped scallions.
    1. To make the soup a bit “fancier,” try adding sliced mushrooms or swirling in egg ribbons, similar to how you would for Tomato Egg Drop Soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.2mg