Banh Mi Style Meatballs

Course: Main Dish, Dinner

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped (adjust to your spice preference)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 egg

• Cooking oil for frying

For the Pickled Vegetables:

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

For Serving:

• Cooked white rice

• Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

• Sliced jalapeños (optional, for heat)

• Sriracha mayonnaise (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat until the sugar and salt dissolve, stirring occasionally.

2. Place the shredded carrots and sliced cucumber in a bowl or a glass jar. Pour the warm vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Make sure the vegetables are fully submerged.

3. Let the pickled vegetables sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for a few hours or overnight for even better flavor.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, chopped onion, green chilies, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, ground black pepper, ground coriander, ground cumin, and the egg. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

5. Shape the mixture into meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.

6. Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs in batches and cook until they are browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

7. Spoon as much cooked white rice as you’d like into a bowl then place a few meatballs on top of the rice.

8. Top with the pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro leaves, and sliced jalapeños if you like it spicy.

9. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo if you desire extra heat and enjoy!