Southern Pan-Fried Meatballs
Ingredients and preparation method for Nan Jian meatballs (pan-fried pork meatballs in a sweet-savory sauce).
Ingredients
Chinese yam (peeled, cut into diamond-shaped chunks)
160 g
Fresh lotus root (cut into shreds, then minced)
120 g
Egg
1
Cake crumbs (crushed)
20 g
Flour
50 g
Raw gluten (boiled then minced)
to taste
Sesame oil (about 130 g actually consumed)
600 g
White stock
250 g
Sichuan pepper salt
2 g
Wet starch
10 g
Soy sauce
16 g
Sugar
1 g
MSG
3 g
Minced ginger
2 g
Instructions
1
Prepare the yam and lotus root
Wash the yam thoroughly, peel it, and cut into diamond-shaped chunks using the rolling-knife method. Wash the fresh lotus root, first slice it into thin strips with a knife, then mince it into a paste.
2
Prepare the gluten
Cut the raw gluten into strips, drop into boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, then remove and chop into fine bits. Crush the cake/pastry into crumbs.
3
Form the meatballs
Place the wok over high heat, pour in the sesame oil (30 g) and heat it. Add the gluten bits and stir-fry until they turn yellow, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the egg, cake crumbs, Sichuan pepper salt, flour, lotus root paste, MSG (half portion), and minced ginger (1 g), and mix thoroughly. By hand, shape the mixture into 14 meatballs about 3 cm in diameter.
4
Pan-fry the meatballs
Return the wok to high heat, pour in the sesame oil (60 g) and heat to 70–80% hot. Add the meatballs and pan-fry until golden brown, then remove and arrange them in a large bowl.
5
Deep-fry the yam and steam
Return the wok to high heat, pour in sesame oil and heat to 70–80% hot. Add the yam chunks and deep-fry until golden yellow, then drain through a colander. Place the wok back over high heat, add the white stock (100 g), sugar (half portion), soy sauce (5 g), and the fried yam chunks. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to season, then remove and arrange the yam on top of the meatballs in the bowl. Pour the broth over, then steam in a steamer for about 20 minutes. Remove and, together with the broth, invert the contents onto a serving plate.
6
Thicken the sauce and pour over
Heat sesame oil (25 g) in the wok over high heat, add the minced ginger, and pour in the pan juices. Add the white stock, sugar, soy sauce, MSG, etc. Once the liquid comes to a boil, thicken with a thin wet-starch slurry, drizzle in a little sesame oil, then pour the sauce over the meatballs to finish.
