Gingery Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

by Susan Hanna

These pork meatballs from NYT Cooking make a tasty weeknight supper. Mix ginger, garlic, spices, cilantro, panko and pork together and form into meatballs. Brown the meatballs and then add more ginger, tomatoes, fish or soy sauce and salt. Simmer for a few minutes, add scallions and lime juice, mix together and serve.

Serves 4.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices and panko to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use tamari instead of soy sauce or use a fish sauce without additives, such as Cock brand. Use freshly squeezed lime juice. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely grated or minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) round cumin, more for serving
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fine sea or table salt, more as needed
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground coriander
• 1 pound (454 g) ground pork (or turkey, chicken, beef, lamb or vegan meat)
• ½ cup (125 ml) panko breadcrumbs (or use plain)
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, more for serving
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups (500 ml) diced fresh ripe or overripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fish sauce or soy sauce
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, halved

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger, the garlic, cumin, salt and coriander. Add pork, panko and cilantro. Using your hands, gently mix everything together, making sure not to overwork the mixture (otherwise, the meatballs get tough.) Form into 1- ¼ inch (3.18-cm) balls.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high, then add the oil and let it heat up until it thins out. Add meatballs in one layer. Cook, turning and shaking the pan, until meatballs are browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Move meatballs to one side of the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger to the empty side of the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, fish or soy sauce and a pinch of salt to the empty side of the pan. When tomatoes are simmering, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and let cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at the center, about 5 to 8 minutes longer.
4. Uncover the pan. Mix the scallions into the sauce. Squeeze lime juice all over everything, then stir together. Taste and add salt and lime juice as needed. Serve the meatballs sprinkled with more cumin and topped with cilantro.

From NYT Cooking