Shiny happy meatballs - Teriyaki Asian style meatballs
Teriyaki means to shine in Japanese and refers to the sugar shine given with this form of cooking. These meatballs are made with no sugar, but still packed full of Asian flavour so ideal for little one, the teriyaki, sugar, shiny, pouring sauce is made separately and added on the plate; perfect for grown-ups. They are a great starter food for little ones as they are soft and flavoursome. Everyone is happy when you can make the meatballs the night before and then all you have to do on the day is fry to brown the outside and seal them, and then pop them in the oven for 30 mins – easy, likewise the sauce is simple, just heating a few ingredients. They taste earthy, but with the clean overtone flavours of lemongrass, ginger, and coriander and a fruity background from the teriyaki pouring sauce. The pouring sauce is not as heavy on the stomach as shop bought sauce often is; definitely worth a few minutes to prepare! p.s. R.E.M. namesake – again, back to my 80s childhood.
Makes 15 balls – plenty for 3 adults and little one
Ingredients for meatballs
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 crushed garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped lemon grass
4 finely chopped spring onions
Thumb size piece of ginger finely grated
2 tbsp honey (or agave if under 1 years old)
1 tbsp low salt soy sauce
2tbsp panko breadcrumbs
500g beef or pork mince, or a mixture
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Teriyaki pouring sauce – for adults only
¼ cup low salt soy sauce
1 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 crushed garlic
½ tsp finely grated ginger
4 ½ tbsp light brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp corn flour mixed with 2 ½ tbsp col water
Method
1. To make meatballs mix all ingredients in a bowl except honey and soy sauce.
2. Heat soy sauce and honey in a pan on a low-medium heat until combined. Let it cool.
3. Once cooked add the honey-soy mixture and mix through. Shape into small golf size meatballs. These can now be refrigerated until the next day – put them on baking paper on a tray and cling film. Alternatively, you can proceed straight away to cooking.
4. Heat oil in wok to medium-high and fry meatballs for around 5 mins turning occasionally to brown and seal the meat.
5. Put meatballs on a baking tray and in a fan 200C oven for around 30 mins, cut a ball open to check they are cooked through.
6. To make the pouring sauce mix all ingredients except the corn flour water in a pan on a medium heat, bring it to nearly boiling and then add the corn flour water to thicken. If it's too thick add more water to thin. Th consistency should be a lightly thickened pouring sauce.
7. Serve the meatballs for grown-ups with the pouring sauce. For little ones just serve the meatball.
Tips
If you can't buy low salt soy sauce then use ½ tbsp normal soy for the meatballs – under 1s should only have 1g salt per day. Once made the raw meatballs can be refrigerated until the next day – put them on baking paper, on a tray, and cling film. Alternatively, you can proceed straight away to cooking. They are a great starter food for little ones as they are soft and flavoursome.
Facts
Teriyaki means to shine in Japanese and refers to the sugar shine given with this form of cooking.