Description
These Vietnamese Pork Meatballs are a flavorful and juicy addition to your Banh Mi sandwich or a delicious topping over steamed rice. Made with grated jicama for texture, seasoned ground pork, and a savory ginger-garlic sauce simmered gently until tender, these meatballs capture authentic Vietnamese flavors in an easy stovetop recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs:
- 2/3 cup jicama, apple, or daikon, grated with a box grater
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- 500 g (1 lb) pork mince (ground pork) (chicken also okay)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tsp ginger, finely minced
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine grated jicama (or substitute), green onions, ground pork, minced garlic, fish sauce, corn starch, sugar, and black pepper. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the meat, which helps keep the meatballs tender.
- Form the Meatballs: Roll the mixture into small balls using about 2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball. Place them on a plate ready for cooking.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: In a skillet over medium-high heat, mix the cornflour with a splash of chicken stock to make a smooth slurry. Add the remaining chicken stock, water, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and minced ginger to the skillet. Stir well.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the sauce mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring regularly to prevent sticking or burning at the bottom of the skillet.
- Cook the Meatballs: Gently add the meatballs into the simmering sauce. Cook uncovered for about 7 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally to ensure they cook evenly and absorb the flavors.
- Rest the Meatballs if Needed: If you’re not serving immediately, remove the meatballs from the sauce to stop further cooking and prevent them from becoming tough.
- Serve: Stuff the meatballs into Banh Mi sandwiches, or garnish with chopped red chili, coriander, and shallots, serving over steamed rice with the sauce spooned on top for a delightful meal.
Notes
- Jicama is a crunchy, neutral-flavored vegetable perfect for texture; apple, nashi pear, or daikon radish can be used as substitutes.
- Using chicken instead of pork mince is an acceptable variation.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- Cook the meatballs gently in the sauce to soak up flavor and maintain juiciness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Vietnamese pork meatballs, Banh Mi meatballs, meatball recipe, Vietnamese cuisine, pork mince, jicama meatballs
