Seeking healthier, plant-based alternatives to your usual meat cuts? Tofu will do just the trick. From the Mandarin doufu meaning bean ferment or curd, tofu is the product of curdling and solidifying soy milk. This process results in a wide variety of different textures — making tofu one of the most adaptable ingredients you could…
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Seeking healthier, plant-based alternatives to your usual meat cuts? Tofu will do just the trick. From the Mandarin doufu meaning bean ferment or curd, tofu is the product of curdling and solidifying soy milk. This process results in a wide variety of different textures — making tofu one of the most adaptable ingredients you could ever get your hands on. From extra mushy to extra firm, there’s a different kind of tofu for every recipe you can think of; not to mention its abundantly nutritious properties! Whether you’re enjoying it as a snack, as a main course, or a side dish to a meal, tofu is enjoyable in a variety of ways. One prime example of this would be none other than tofu balls with miswa and patola!
For those of you who want comfort food with a more nutritious twist, you needn’t look any further. This tofu balls with miswa and patola recipe checks off all the qualifiers on your list! From light but flavorful tofu balls to a rich, deep broth, this stew will be the soothing refresher you need. On rainy days especially, just a spoonful of this delightful soup will send you into the throes of relaxation.
Tofu Balls with Miswa and Patola vs. Almondigas
The combination of miswa and patola is not a foreign one. Many Filipinos turn to this easy, no frills match daily, and regard it as a go-to in the kitchen when we’re hankering for something simple. In the Philippines, we refer to this soup as almondigas. Hailing from a classic Mexican dish consisting of meatballs, chicken stock, and green beans, our meatballs with miswa and patola aren’t all that different. Almondigas is homey and warm, and will instantly evoke feelings of warmth among your loved ones.
Our tofu balls with miswa and patola are sure to do the same thing! With firm tofu and green onions, our tofu balls are delightful to bite into alongside savory, thin strands of miswa. These noodles, symbolizing long life, pair exceptionally well with the slightly sweet and silky patola, or loofa. Altogether, this dish gives you everything about almondigas that you love — if only healthier! If you don’t want the heaviness of ground meat, tofu balls are an excellent substitute, being both delicious and nutritious.
Miswa and Patola Variations
Because of how comforting the combo of miswa and patola is, it has spawned many different versions. A few of our favorites are the following:
Spicy Sardinas with Patola and Miswa
If, like me, you love the additional element of spice in your miswa, you can opt for this recipe! Spicy sardinas give your dish an extra savory and spicy flavor. The added chili peppers are also welcome. Refreshing and relaxing at the same time, this version of miswa and patola is also another accessible and inexpensive delight. The best part? In only 20 minutes, you’ll already have enough to feed 3 people!
When you don’t feel like making meatballs or tofu balls, another great alternative is tender shredded chicken. That’s exactly what you have in this delightful chicken and miswa. This dish is so easy, even those who haven’t spent all that much time in the kitchen can prepare it! Brimming with flavor, both the soup and the noodles in this dish are slurp-worthy and scrumptious. Boiling the chicken beforehand truly allows it to be as tender as can be. With a delicious chicken stock as well, you get deeper and more delightful flavors with every bite of this dish.
Take this homey comfort dish to the next level! If it’s flavors of the sea you’re after, then the addition of crab is just the trick to ensure your miswa and patola is flavorful, distinct, and unlike any other. Delicious crab meat is the main star of this recipe, and it definitely hits the spot with its mildly sweet and savory flavors. While it might not sound like the most typical of combinations, we can assure you that this dish works absolutely perfectly. Try it and see for yourself!
How to Cook Tofu Balls with Miswa and Patola
Making tofu balls with miswa and patola is no difficult feat. We can divide the cooking process like so:
Take your firm tofu, and press it down to drain any excess liquid. Adding them into a bowl, mash them and add your egg, green onions, onions, flour, salt, and ground black pepper. Incorporate these elements well, ensuring that they’re practically blended together. Once they’re as mixed as you want them to be, mold them into balls.
The next step in making your tofu balls would be to fry them! While you can use either a regular pan or an air fryer, these next few steps imply the use of the former. Regardless, either way definitely works. After heating cooking oil in a pan, you can fry your tofu balls until the outer part gets a medium brown color. When you reach that hue, remove the balls from the pan and set them aside.
Now we make the delectable broth for your tofu balls. You can use some of the oil you used to cook the tofu balls and heat them again in a pot. Add your garlic and sauté until it starts to brown. Then, add onions, cooking the mix until they soften. After this you’ll put 5 cups of water into the pot, bringing the liquid to a boil.
Your Knorr Shrimp Cube, for a deeper flavor, and your tofu balls go in next. Allow this mix to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Getting hungry? We’re almost at the end! Add your loofa or patola, and cook for about 5 minutes. Then, quickly add your miswa into the pot. Miswa goes in last because it takes only a few minutes to cook, and putting it in for too long may make your noodles mushy. Season your tofu balls with miswa and patola with fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste.
Transfer your meal to a serving bowl and top your miswa with chopped green onions. Just like that, you and your family can now enjoy these tofu balls with miswa and patola! Let us know what you think!
Tofu Balls with Miswa and Patola Alternative Ingredients
A great part about this tofu balls with miswa and patola recipe is how easy it is to source the ingredients. But should you find yourself having difficulty with some, fear not! Here are a few alternatives and substitutes you can avail of.
- Misua: These long stringy noodles symbolize longevity, and are a favorite carb among Filipinos If you can’t get your hands on a pack of miswa, sotanghon noodles, equally thin but more transparent, will often do the trick. Rice noodles, or bihon, are also a viable option and frequently available at many supermarkets.
- Patola. If you have a hard time finding patola in your grocery, you can switch to zucchini slices, upo, or sayote! All three of these choices have that same silky texture patola is famous for. They’re also full of that mildly sweet, inviting taste that we know and love from loofa.
- Tofu balls. Lastly, if you’re having a hard time finding firm tofu, why not try tempeh? Tempeh is also a soy product, but it also usually contains other grains. This makes it higher in fiber and protein, and sometimes gives you more of that meat-like texture. Tempeh is great to make into meatballs and is another wonderful plant-based alternative. Another option is mushrooms! Similar to tofu in texture, fantastic fungi come in an array of forms and kinds. These will work perfectly in your miswa soup and lend their distinct, smoky taste you and your family will surely love.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Tofu Balls Almondigas with Misua and Patola
Filipino tofu almondigas soup with patola and misua
Instructions
Start making the tofu balls by pressing the tofu to drain excess liquid. Mash it in a bowl and then add all the tofu ball ingredients. Mix well. Mold into balls. Note: you have the option to fry this in oil or to use an air fryer. This recipe suggests frying these in oil.
Heat cooking oil in a pan. Fry the tofu balls until the exterior part turns medium brown. Remove from the pan. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot. (Note: you can utilize some of the oil used to cook the tofu balls.)
Saute garlic until it starts to brown. Add onion. Cook until the onion softens.
Pour water into the pot. Let it boil.
Add Knorr Shrimp Cube and fried tofu. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add patola. Cook for 5 minutes.
Put the miswa into the pot. Stir and season with fish sauce and ground black pepper.
Transfer to a serving plate and top with chopped green onions. Share and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition Information
Calories: 2049kcal (102%) Carbohydrates: 152g (51%) Protein: 56g (112%) Fat: 138g (212%) Saturated Fat: 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 45g Monounsaturated Fat: 78g Trans Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 164mg (55%) Sodium: 3488mg (145%) Potassium: 785mg (22%) Fiber: 12g (48%) Sugar: 15g (17%) Vitamin A: 10736IU (215%) Vitamin C: 29mg (35%) Calcium: 780mg (78%) Iron: 12mg (67%)
Vanjo Merano
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