Sweet and Sour Pork (or Chicken) Meatballs
Greg Dunmore (Adapted from Iio Jozo)
Adapted from the Iio Jozo cookbook, these tender meatballs are coated in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce that strikes the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet. They're equally delicious made with pork or chicken and are best served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pork, ground (or chicken, just get an equal ratio of thigh and breast meat, with some fat)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
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1 tablespoon Takehisa Dried Shiitake Mushroom Powder
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2 tablespoons Yugeta Organic Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons sake
- 1 egg
- Potato starch
- Vegetable oil, for frying
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¼ cup Iio Jozo Pure Rice Vinegar
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¼ cup Iio Jozo Brown Rice Vinegar
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¼ cup organic soy sauce (from either Yugeta or Yamaki Jozo)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
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¼ cup Murakami Syouten Okinawan Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon Morino Yoshino Kudzu Starch, for slurry
- 1 ½ tablespoons water, for slurry
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Wadaman Roasted Organic White Sesame Seeds, to garnish
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, salt, shiitake powder, and soy sauce. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Add the sake and egg. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes sticky and tacky. This helps create a springy, tender texture.
- Spread potato starch in a shallow dish.
- Roll the meat mixture into balls about the size of a half dollar. Coat each ball in potato starch, then gently roll again to form a smooth shape. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet to a depth of about ½ inch. Heat over high heat until very hot, just below the smoking point.
- Working in batches, carefully add the meatballs and fry for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a clean baking sheet.
- Check one meatball for doneness by cutting it in half. If needed, finish cooking in a 350°F oven. (The meatballs can also be made ahead and reheated before serving.)
- To make the sauce, combine the vinegars, soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the kudzu starch and water to make a slurry.
- Whisk half of the slurry into the sauce and return to a boil. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and have the consistency of heavy cream. If needed, add the remaining slurry and boil again until thickened.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately with steamed rice.