I made up this dinner last week and it was so yummy, thumbs up from all the children, and very different which is what I was really going for. I don’t know about you guys, but the mere decision of what to make for dinner is the most awful part. So, I created this dish by basically having Asian food on my mind and going with the flow. I promise, this is the best way to cook. (Please forgive my terrible photos…I took these with my phone, unfortunately).
First, select meat for meatballs. I used chicken breasts…you could use thighs, some sort of beef cut (flank steak?) or maybe even boneless pork chops. I don’t know much about meat, so just pulverize what you have and you should be fine. Beat meat with a cleaver until it is all a consistent thickness. [This is my favorite part, admittedly]. Then, chop into very small bite-size-ish chunks. Place in freezer- sized ziplock bag and set in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Make marinade:
-1/2 cup Rice vinegar
-1/2 cup sesame oil
-1 TBSP hoison sauce
-1 TBSP soy sauce
-3 in piece fresh ginger, chopped
-juice 1 lime
Mix together and add to zip lock bag. Close bag and press down flat in the baking dish so the marinade is infiltrating all meat equally. Nice. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Next, cut up these veggies:
-1/2 shallot, minced
-2 med/large cloves garlic, minced
-bunch green onions, chopped
-1 lime, quartered
-2 carrots, julienned
-2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
-approx 2 in piece of ginger, peeled and minced
-handful basil, chopped
-1 cup or so, shitake mushrooms (whole, not chopping necessary)
Make meatballs:
-2 sausage links (I used turkey, italian style). Squeeze meat from casing into large mixing bowl. Ewww. Weird but satisfying.
-Marinated meat (from bag; discard marinade). Add this to same bowl.
-Add shallots
-Add 1/2 of the chopped ginger
-1/2 cup (or so) panko breakcrumbs
-Add 1 egg
The whole point of these meatballs is to use different meats. That is the cool part, and the part that sets these meatballs apart. Apart from that, your meatball may be boring, at least in part.
Roll into a little bigger than bite-sized balls and place on parchment paper on baking sheet. Bake at ~400 for ~40 mins
Make rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with cilantro.
Add remaining veggies (except cilantro,basil, and lime) to hot cast iron skillet with a TBSP of veg oil and saute until heated through but still a little crunchy. Add a splash of rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Then, add meatballs when finished, cover, and simmer until meatballs are soft and steamy, but still firm. Serve as pictured below.
