Vietnamese meatballs (Xíu Mái)

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 ½ large onions, diced
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 kg pork mince
• 15 g black fungus, rehydrated and chopped coarsely
• 30 g water chestnuts, chopped coarsely
• 1 ½ tbsp sesame oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp corn flour

Sauce

• 5 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp corn flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water

To garnish

• hot French bread roll
• coriander leaves
• Maggi Seasoning

Instructions

Sauté onions with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. When done, set aside to cool.

Once the onion has cooled, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix well.

Roll the mixture into meatballs, about 4cm in diameter. You should be able to make about 30 meatballs.

Cook the meatballs in manageable batches of 5–10. Steam for either 15–20 minutes or place loosely in a deep plate or bowl, add 5 mm of water and microwave for 3 minutes on high.

To prepare the sauce, combine the tomato sauce with sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to boil then quickly add the corn flour mixture. Simmer for a minute or less and serve immediately over the meatballs.

Serve garnished with coriander, a few drops of Maggi Seasoning plus a hot French bread roll.

Tip: These freeze really well so double the portions and freeze away!