Ginger Chicken Meatballs
with Spicy Pickles
Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoond sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
For the pickles:
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 medium limes)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium jalapeño pepper
2 green onions, chopped fine
1 medium carrot (about 4 ounces)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into tribbons
4 large radishes, sliced thin
For serving:
Fresh cilantro
1/2 medium head savoy cabbage
14 ounces dried rice noodles or shirataki
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoond sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
For the pickles:
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 medium limes)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium jalapeño pepper
2 green onions, chopped fine
1 medium carrot (about 4 ounces)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into tribbons
4 large radishes, sliced thin
For serving:
Fresh cilantro
1/2 medium head savoy cabbage
14 ounces dried rice noodles or shirataki
Directions:
First, prepare the pickles...
Juice 2 medium limes until you have 1/4 cup and place in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Using a mandoline or chef’s knife, trim and thinly slice 1 medium jalapeño pepper crosswise. Peel and cut 1 medium carrot into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup). Slice radishes. Cut bell pepper into thin strips and again in half. Add carrots, bell pepper, radishes, jalepeno, and green onions to the lime mixture and toss to combine. Let sit until ready to serve.
Make the meatballs...
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), mirin, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, 5 spice, coriander and cayenne. Whisk until emulsified.
In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, bread crumbs, scallions, bell pepper, and sauce. Use your impeccibly clean hands to mix it all thoroughly.
Use a small scoop, a spoon, or your hands to form the chicken mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter.
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 15-20 minutes).
Then, put it all together...
Cut cabbage in half through the core. Cut the core out of each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage crosswise into fine ribbons until you have about 3 cups. Pick the leaves from fresh cilantro until you have 1 loosely packed cup.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and divide between 6 bowls (no need to rinse).
Divide the cabbage, meatballs, pickled veg and cilantro leaves, tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces if too large.
Juice 2 medium limes until you have 1/4 cup and place in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Using a mandoline or chef’s knife, trim and thinly slice 1 medium jalapeño pepper crosswise. Peel and cut 1 medium carrot into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup). Slice radishes. Cut bell pepper into thin strips and again in half. Add carrots, bell pepper, radishes, jalepeno, and green onions to the lime mixture and toss to combine. Let sit until ready to serve.
Make the meatballs...
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), mirin, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, 5 spice, coriander and cayenne. Whisk until emulsified.
In a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, bread crumbs, scallions, bell pepper, and sauce. Use your impeccibly clean hands to mix it all thoroughly.
Use a small scoop, a spoon, or your hands to form the chicken mixture into balls about 2 inches in diameter.
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 15-20 minutes).
Then, put it all together...
Cut cabbage in half through the core. Cut the core out of each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage crosswise into fine ribbons until you have about 3 cups. Pick the leaves from fresh cilantro until you have 1 loosely packed cup.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and divide between 6 bowls (no need to rinse).
Divide the cabbage, meatballs, pickled veg and cilantro leaves, tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces if too large.
Notes:
It's the spicy pickled veggies that really make this special. Yes, I know it's lime juice and not a salty vinegar brine, but lime juice is an acid and it still counts as pickled.
Warm noodles, hot meatballs, cold, crispy veggies, crunchy cabbage...this dish has all the flavors, temperatures and textures you could ever ask for. Fresh, hot, spicy, sweet, sour, savory. Eat your heart out, Top Chef ™.
Don't limit your pickled veg to these few. You can use any of your favorites like zucchini, broccolini, green beans, edamame, cucumber, green beans, snow peas, or whatever. Use your imagination.
You can use linguine, vermicelli, or soba noodles if you prefer. Heck, maybe even make some rice instead. Rice is awesome.
Shirataki, aka "Miracle Noodle" has fewer than 10 calories per serving (about 7 ounces). Rice noodles, on the other hand, are upwards of 100 calories for the same amount. Nothing wrong with rice noodles (I love 'em too), but I know what I'm picking every time.
Warm noodles, hot meatballs, cold, crispy veggies, crunchy cabbage...this dish has all the flavors, temperatures and textures you could ever ask for. Fresh, hot, spicy, sweet, sour, savory. Eat your heart out, Top Chef ™.
Don't limit your pickled veg to these few. You can use any of your favorites like zucchini, broccolini, green beans, edamame, cucumber, green beans, snow peas, or whatever. Use your imagination.
You can use linguine, vermicelli, or soba noodles if you prefer. Heck, maybe even make some rice instead. Rice is awesome.
Shirataki, aka "Miracle Noodle" has fewer than 10 calories per serving (about 7 ounces). Rice noodles, on the other hand, are upwards of 100 calories for the same amount. Nothing wrong with rice noodles (I love 'em too), but I know what I'm picking every time.