Sticky Asian Meatballs

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside–whether they’re covered in sauce, gravy, served on a toothpick or on top of a pile of pasta, meatballs are an instant crowd pleaser.

While it's a little hard to pinpoint the origin of the meatball, it was likely first enjoyed in ancient Persia and spread from there to throughout the world prepared with a variety of proteins from pork to turkey. “Four Joy Meatballs” have been prepared in China since the Qin Dynasty, the Spanish have served albondigas since the 6th century, the Dutch have eaten bitterballen since the 17th century, and the Italians have enjoyed polpettes since the Roman Empire. The thing is, it doesn’t really matter where meatballs originate from or the way they’re served, just as long as they’re enjoyed in good company. This dish is a Japanese-Chinese fusion and is sure to stick around in your family’s recipe book for a long time to come. Enjoy and have a colorful day!

• Time and Serving Size

  Time:

  Prep: 10min

  Cook: 15min

  Serving Size: 4

• Ingredients

  Meatball:

  1 pound ground pork

  ⅓ cup bread crumbs

  1 bunch scallions (minced)

  1 egg (large)

  3 garlic cloves (minced)

  ¼ teaspoon ginger powder

  ¼ teaspoon umami seasoning

  1 tablespoon soy sauce

  Sticky Sauce:

  1/4 cup soy sauce

  ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  2 teaspoon sesame oil

  1 tablespoon ginger

  1 tablespoon peanut butter

  1 tablespoon Miso paste

  ¼ cup rice vinegar

  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or BBQ sauce

  2 tablespoons honey

  Pasta:

  Udon noodles

  Sesame seeds (for serving)

  Bok Choy (or other greens like kale or spinach)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 2

In a bowl or a stand mixer add pork, bread crumbs, chopped scallions, egg, garlic, umami, ginger, soy sauce, and salt. Mix until smooth.

Step 3

Form the mixture into 2-inch balls and space evenly onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

For the Sauce:

Step 1

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a pan with garlic and ginger. Add ingredients soy sauce, salt, ground black pepper, sesame oil, ginger, umami, peanut butter, miso paste, rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or BBQ sauce, and honey and mix until smooth. Heat over a pan simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

For the Vegetables:

Step 1

Cook vegetables in a pan with sesame oil and scallions. Once greens are wilted, set aside and keep warm.

For the Noodles:

Step 1

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender or soft.

To Serve:

Step 1

Toss the meatballs in the sauce. Place noodles in the bowl with vegetables and meatballs on top. Garnish the plate with sesame seeds and scallions if you have any.