Light, Bright & Bursting with Flavour
This is an absolutely fire cracker of a recipe. I adore it. It packs such a punch of interesting textures, bright colours and bold flavours. There are a few components to this recipe so I would advice inviting a few friends or family over and making this one big sharing platter. I urge you not to leave out any one of the elements. They are all vital to the over all dish working together. If you want a cheat you can buy pouches of coconut rice.
I love pork mince for the meatballs. Keep your eyes peeled or the 5% fat and the 15% fat. For a healthier option choose the 5% fat. Turkey mince also works well, a little drier but the sauce is just epic. It is deep, rich and savoury and provides this sweet, sticky, shiny glaze that coats the meatballs.
If you have never had smashed cucumbers before, I am genuinely excited for you! They are just awesome.
I hope you love these as much as I do. Be sure to let me know how you get on with them.
Enjoy.
Sticky Glazed Pork Meatball Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pork Meatballs
- 800 g pork mince
- 2 courgettes /250g spinach blanched
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cm piece fresh ginger
- 2 tsp Japanese 7 spice togarashi
- 1 tsp heaped onion powder
- 1 tsp heaped garlic powder
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp oil
Sticky Glaze
- 100 mls soy sauce
- 100 mls hoi sin sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Piece kombu / dashi
- 50 g honey
Smashed cucumber
- 1 punnet baby cucumbers
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli oil / peanut rayu
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 clove garlic grated
Coconut Rice
- 1 400 ml tin coconut milk
- 800 mls mls water
- 1 empty tin basmati rice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp lemongrass paste
- Garnish
- Sesame seeds
- Spring onions
- Red chilli
- Crushed Peanuts
To Serve
- Carrot ribbons
- Radish
- Red onion
- Red chilli
- Sesame seeds
- Coriander
- Lime wedges
- Peanut Rayu / Kimchi
Instructions
Method
- Mise en Place: Using a microplane grate the garlic and ginger. Grate the courgettes using the large side of the grater. Place the courgettes in a large clean towel/cloth and squeeze out all the water. Add the pork mince to a large bowl and add in all the other ingredients, including the grated courgette. Combine well with your hands. Using an ice cream scoop, measure out all the meatballs. Using cold, wet hands, roll and shape them. Preheat the oven to 200℃. Line a tray with parchment paper. Spritz them with olive oil spray and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked fully.
- Coconut & Lemongrass Rice: Bring the 800mls water, coconut milk and lemongrass paste in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Rinse the basmati rice and place in, stir once, pop a lid on and over a low to medium heat, allow this to simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. To serve, remove the lid and fluff up lightly.
- As the meatballs bake, make the sticky glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and warm through until just bubbling in the microwave or a small saucepan.
- Smashed Cucumbers: Cut the top and bottom off the cucumber. Cut on the diagonal. Sprinkle with salt and sugar and allow to sit in a sieve for a few minutes for any excess water to drain out, then grate in the garlic, and add In the other ingredients. Stir everything together and allow it to marinate for 15/20 minutes.
- When the meatballs are cooked, pop them into the bowl with the sticky glaze.
- Serving Up: This is where the fun happens in this recipe. Serve this up “family style” and allow everyone to dip in. Serve the steamy coconut rice in a big bowl; add the smashed cucumbers beside this, then some carrot ribbons, slices of radish and lime wedges. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and red chilli over the meatballs and add these in. Garnish the entire platter with fresh coriander, finely chopped peanuts and some red chilli slices.
