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Bahn Mi Meatball Bowls

Banh Mi Meatball Bowls


  • Yield: 5 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meatballs:

  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 4 scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 lb ground pork

For the Pickled Vegetables:

  • ½ cup rice vinegar or other light vinegar (white distilled or white balsamic)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shaved carrot ribbons
  • 1 cup sliced radishes
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley

For the Broth:

  • Drizzle of canola oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
  • 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Meatballs:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together everything except the egg and pork. Taste the mixture and adjust for seasoning. Whisk in the egg and then fold in the pork, being careful to not overwork the meat.
  3. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each with a little canola oil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and browned.
  4. Once I get the meatballs into the oven, I make both the pickled vegetables and broth, so that they are both ready and waiting by the time the meatballs come out of the oven.

For the Pickled Vegetables:

  1. While the meatballs are cooking, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small pot. Remove from the heat and add the carrots and radishes to the pan, stirring to combine.
  2. Let the vegetables steep for 20 minutes and then drain. Toss the vegetables with the cilantro and set aside.

For the Broth:

  1. Add a drizzle of oil to a pot and then add the garlic. Cook for a minute over medium heat, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn. Add in the stock, soy sauce, chile paste, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

To Serve:

  1. To each serving bowl, add the pickled veggies and cooked meatballs (I usually do 3-4 per person). Pour a little of the broth over everything and garnish with additional cilantro. Serve immediately.