Miswa at Bola Bola

MISWA AT BOLA BOLA

As April comes to a close and cold and wet weather permeates in Portland, our soup craving continues. One of the soups I remember having a lot growing up is Miswa at Bola Bola or Meatball Noodle Soup. Miswa is a thin wheat noodle very similar to angel hair. It’s a noodle that can be used in dry applications like Pancit but it is also amazing in noodle soups. This is a dish that is quite easy to make because it doesn’t require you to toil over the stove for hours. You can develop a lot of flavor by browning the meatballs first. This leaves fond at the bottom of the pan that you can further develop by adding aromatics then deglazing to scrape any of the brown bits off, adding flavor to your soup. Another hack is using a bouillon cube which is an instant booster. Add vegetables to make this a more substantial meal. Traditionally this soup has patola or sponge gourd. I’ve also used upo or bottle gourd. Right before serving, you add the Miswa noodles. Whether dry or fresh, this cooks quickly in the soup. I love leafy greens too so I also throw in bok choy or gai lan. You can eat this by itself or add a little steamed rice, because why not?!

As we close out Filipino Food Month, we wanted to say THANK YOU to you and to our friends that contributed (@baonkainan @brrraaady) and also joined us in cooking Filipino food this month (@ngaloppo @ehow.eats @here.portland). We hope that we inspired you to try something new with the recipes and stories we’ve shared. For us, Filipino Food isn’t just for the month of April. It’s 24/7, 365 so stay tuned for more from us in the coming months.

❤️Tricia