Kimchi Tortilla Soup with Ginger-Braised Meatballs

 

Tortilla soup is one of my favorite Mexican comfort foods, simple, hearty, and always delicious.  The addition of kimchi here gives the soup a tangy twist, and a bit of spice from the Far East.  Meatballs packed with ginger and garlic add further depth to the broth, and perfectly complement the crunchy tortilla strips that are added at the end of cooking.

Ingredients:
16 oz. ground pork
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
12 corn tortillas, individually sliced, coarsely, into wedges
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
Juice of one lime
1 ripe avocado, diced into small wedges
1/2 cup cilantro, thinly sliced
2 cups homemade or prepared kimchi

To make:

Begin by making meatballs in a large bowl.  Combine ground pork, garlic, ginger, salt, and black pepper thoroughly, and form into a single mass.  Using your hands, make small, round meatballs until mixture is used up.  Place meatballs on a platter to fry later.

Next, heat canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat, until it begins to sizzle.  Add tortilla strips and fry until browned, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, about five minutes.  Fry tortilla strips in two separate batches if necessary.  Place cooked tortilla strips onto a plate lined with a paper towel, to soak up extra oil.

Using the same skillet with oil, reduce heat to medium and add meatballs.  Let simmer for about eight minutes, turning every once in a while, until they are cooked through and browned slightly.  Remove meatballs from the heat and place on a platter.

In a large soup pot, add chicken broth and water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, then add lime juice, meatballs, avocado, cilantro, and kimchi.  Let cook, uncovered, for about twenty five minutes, until soup is thickened.  Add tortilla strips to soup, stir to combine them evenly around the surface, and remove the pot from the heat.  Let cool for five minutes, and then serve.