SAEDNEWS: These little meatballs brown in one skillet, then get tossed in an outrageously glossy soy-ginger glaze that makes everyone hover around the appetizer table like moths to a flame.
According to SAEDNEWS, It’s telling how fortunate my life feels right now that deciding what to bring to a New Year’s party tomorrow felt like a real dilemma. What counts as “easy” these days? Which spa gift certificate should I use first for a manicure before the party? Which pair of earrings — the ones from this year or last year’s little blue box? Which private plane should I take? Such are the glamorous trials in a food blogger’s day.
Over the past year I’ve joked (mostly at my own expense) about how several projects I assumed I could handle like a pro actually kicked my butt — in order: raising a toddler, finishing a cookbook, trying to keep evenings and weekends free for family time (even if that time is just “let’s buy mama more conditioner and eat warm pretzels”), and this strange mix of having too little time for myself while spending too much time alone. I won’t recount how many hours I’ve spent wondering how anyone manages to get dinner on the table, keep an apartment tidy, get any sleep, or take vacations — all while looking presentable. No, we’ll skip that. If you read past the self-deprecation and exhaustion, you’ll hopefully sense that I’m absolutely delighted with this life. This job — the 4:30 a.m. starts, the chaos and rewards — is pretty great and I wouldn’t change a thing. I hope next year brings more of the same, more travel and more time with people like you.
Sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce (preferably Japanese or reduced sodium)
1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine), or 1/2 cup sake + 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peeled, chopped ginger (I used half that amount and found it plenty; adjust to taste)
1 tsp ground coriander
4 whole black peppercorns (I didn’t count exactly)
Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
4 large or 6 small scallions, finely chopped
Half a bunch cilantro, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) — substitute flat-leaf parsley if you dislike cilantro
1 large egg
2 tbsp sesame oil (toasted sesame oil if available)
2 tbsp soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Make the sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, coriander and peppercorns. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by about half — roughly 30 minutes, though I left it a bit longer so it became syrupy and would coat the meatballs rather than simply drip off. You can keep the sauce warm on a back burner and stir it while you brown the meatballs. Once reduced to your liking, strain the sauce through a sieve.
Make the meatballs:
Combine the turkey, scallions, cilantro, egg, sesame oil, soy sauce and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl. I like to mix meatball mixtures with a fork because it tends to blend the ingredients nicely. Shape tablespoon-sized portions into balls. The mixture is fairly soft; use damp hands and roll the meatballs by tossing them palm-to-palm until they’re roughly round.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to generously cover the pan bottom. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, cook the meatballs, turning them until they’re browned all over and cooked through — about 8 minutes per batch. Arrange the cooked meatballs on a platter (a warm platter helps keep them hot), spoon a little sauce over each one, and serve with toothpicks. Alternatively, serve the glaze on the side for dipping.
Do ahead:
The sauce can be prepared up to two days ahead and refrigerated. If needed, keep the meatballs warm in a 200°F oven until serving. I’m storing mine in the fridge overnight and hoping they taste fresh tomorrow.
