Sticky Asian Meatballs
Serves 4.
From RecipeTinEats founder Nagi Maehashi’s new book “Delicious Tonight: Foolproof Recipes for 150+ Easy Dinners,” Maehashi writes, “I’ve been rolling canapé-sized versions of these meatballs for years. Why it took me this long to make them dinner-sized is beyond me. I find pork makes the most tender meatballs and is perfect with the aniseed notes of Chinese five spice and hoisin. As for that shiny glaze? It’s sweet, savory, and a little bit spicy — perfect for smothering and soaking into warm steamed rice.” (Countryman, 2024).
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground pork (see Note)
- 1 egg
- 1 c. panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp. finely grated garlic
- 1 tsp. finely grated ginger
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. Chinese five spice
- ½ tsp. white or black pepper
For the sauce:
- 3 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 tbsp. Shaoxing wine (see Note)
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce (see Note)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce (see Note)
- 1 ½ tsp sambal oelek, or other chili paste or Sriracha
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- ¼ tsp. Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
For cooking:
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
For serving:
- Rice of your choice
- 1 tsp. white sesame seeds
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
- Steamed broccoli
Directions
To make the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, salt, five spice and pepper with your hands until well combined.