Meatballs are a classic and a crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike. What also makes them a family favourite is that they can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance – just set them on a lined tray and place them in the refrigerator!
If you’re looking to shake things up a bit, give these sweet and sour pork meatballs a try. Easy to make and taking less than 25 minutes to have on the table, they are the perfect dish for a busy weeknight dinner.
Here’s what you’ll need before you get started:
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of white or whole wheat bread (remove the crusts)
- 60ml milk
- 500g minced pork
- 3 finely chopped green shallots
- 2cm peeled ginger, grated
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp peanut oil
- 1 coarsely chopped brown onion
- 1 coarsely chopped green capsicum, deseeded
- 1 coarsely chopped red capsicum, deseeded
- 227g can of pineapple chunks (keep the juice!)
- 125ml tomato sauce
- 60ml rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp caster sugar
- White or brown rice
Now let’s get those meatballs cooking!
Directions:
1. Start by preparing the rice as per the instructions on the box or bag. Set the two slices of bread in a bowl and cover with milk. Allow the bread to soak for two minutes, and then squeeze them out. Set the bread aside in a large bowl.
2. Use your hands to gently combine the minced pork, shallot, ginger, garlic, cornflour, egg, and one tablespoon of the soy sauce with the bread. Season the mixture and roll them into tablespoon-sized balls, transferring each to a plate once finished.
3. In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the peanut oil over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches and gently toss them until they are golden in colour (approximately eight minutes). Transfer the cooked meatballs to a separate plate.
4. Now add the other tablespoon of peanut oil to the same pan and turn up the heat to medium-high. Add in the onion and capsicum. Cook both for about four minutes (or until softened) and then reduce to low heat.
5. Stir in the pineapple chunks and juice, the tomato sauce, the vinegar, sugar, and the remaining two tablespoons of soy sauce. Bring it all to a boil and reduce heat to medium before adding the meatballs. Stir the meatballs into the sauce for about five minutes, or until they are cooked all the way through and the sauce thickens.
To serve, simply divide the rice and the meatballs into separate bowls for everyone. The recipe makes enough for four adult servings, so if you have little ones with smaller appetites, you may even have some leftovers for lunch the next day.
Bon appetite!
Photo by Taste.com.au