Nanja Wans (Korean Chinese Meatballs)

Ingredients

• 450 g ground pork ((can mix beef and pork or beef only))
• 4 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 each eggs
• 1 tsp sea salt ((Trader Joe's) - I used 3/4 tsp)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp ginger ((grated or finely chopped))
• 1 tsp garlic ((chopped))
• 1 cup chicken broth ((or seafood broth))
• 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp cooking sake ((or mirin))
• 2 tsp garlic ((chopped or sliced))
• 1 tsp ginger ((grated))
• 1 dash sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/3 cup water ((reduce to 2 Tbs for thicker sauce))
• 4 green onions
• 1/2 onion
• 5 bok choy ((sliced in half))
• 1/2 bell pepper ((red or green))
• 3 pcs bamboo shoots ((canned))
• 5 dried shitake mushrooms ((or fresh))
• 2 king mushrooms ((optional))
• 1/2 enoki mushrooms
• vegetable oil ((for frying))

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare a vegetable tray: ---

2. 2

   Cut bell peppers, onion, shitake and king mushrooms into squares (1 x 1 inch). Drain bamboo shoots from can and slice them lengthwise into quarters then into thin slices. Rinse bok choy and slice them lengthwise into halves or quarters. Cut green onions 2-inch lengths. Rinse enoki mushrooms and split them into smaller bunches. Chop garlic and also slice thin few cloves. Chop ginger.

3. 3

   --- Prepare seasoning tray for sauce: ---

4. 4

   Measure out chicken or seafood broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, cooking wine (sake, mirin ok), chopped garlic and ginger. Some sesame oil (a swirl), sesame seeds (sprinkling).

5. 5

   In a bowl, mix ground pork, corn starch, egg, sugar, salt, black pepper and chopped garlic and ginger. It is best to mix with your hands and then form it into one giant ball then throw it down onto a cutting board 3-4 times. This way, the mixture really binds well.

6. 6

   Make meatball patties with the pork mixture from 3. Each about 2.5 inch wide and 1/3 inch thick. To make extra crispy meatballs, I found that it's best to not smooth it out. This is very easy to do as the mixture will stick to your hands anyway.

7. 7

   Heat a deep frying pan or a wok with vegetable oil to 325 - 340 °F. Or until it makes a crackling sound when you throw some salt crystals into it.

8. 8

   When oil is hot, deep fry the meatballs in the pan until it is nicely browned. Take them out and set aside.

9. 9

   Heat up the chicken broth in the microwave so it's nice and warm. This is so the temperature won't go down too much when you add to the wok.

10. 10

    --- Let's put it together. Have ingredients ready to go next to your stove before starting. ---

11. 11

    Heat a wok on HIGH HEAT with 2 -3 Tbs of oil from 6 and stir fry aromatics - garlic slices, ginger and green onions. This infuses a great flavor into the oil.

12. 12

    Then add and stir fry vegetables for couple minutes on high heat. In this order: onions -> bok choy -> bell pepper -> shitake -> king mushrooms.

13. 13

    To the vegetables, add rice wine, soy sauce, fish sauce and then WARM broth. Stir.

14. 14

    Add fried meatballs and mix lightly. Then stir up the corn starch slurry and add. Mix and continue to cook for another couple minutes until sauce thickens.

15. 15

    Turn off heat, drizzle sesame oil to finish. Plate and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.