Japanese-Style White Fish Balls in Shiitake-Ginger Broth

1. 1

   To make the fish balls, cut the fish into 1- to 2-inch chunks, place in a food processor, and process until finely ground.

2. 2

   Add the ginger, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and process until thoroughly blended.

3. 3

   With wet hands, pat the mixture into 3/4-inch balls.

4. 4

   Set aside on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. 5

   To make the soup, combine the water, mushroom stems, ginger, cilantro, and soy sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

6. 6

   Decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook until the mushroom and ginger pieces are soft, about 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean medium saucepan.

8. 8

   Discard the contents of the strainer.

9. 9

   Bring the strained broth just to a boil over medium-high heat.

10. 10

    Add the shiitake caps, spinach roots, and fish balls and cook until the balls rise to the top, about 3 minutes.

11. 11

    Ladle the soup into individual bowls, garnish each bowl with a few scallion strands, and serve piping hot.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.