Great Appy- Crunchy Asian Meatballs

I like to have a selection of appetizers in my freezer.  Just in case guests drop in or to supply my friends who have friends drop in.  I made these meatballs with chicken but you can use turkey or veal or pork and they are baked in the oven- no deep frying.  You can cook them then freeze then reheat in the oven-so convenient.

The fragrant sesame oil and crunchy water chestnuts provide great Asian taste.  They will be a hit with your guests.

Spray or brush the meatballs with oil before placing them
in the oven.  They'll crunch up nicely! 

Makes about 32 meatballs, depending on the size.  These are about 1 tablespoon in size.


Ingredients:

2 tbsp Asian sesame oil

4 scallions, chopped

2 tbsp ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

½ cup finely chopped water chestnuts

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 ¼ lbs ground turkey (or chicken, veal, pork)

Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Vegetable oil spray

For dipping: Thai Sweet and Spicy Dipping sauce or Ponzu sauce or soy sauce.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray or brush lightly with oil.

Heat sesame oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add scallions, ginger and garlic and cook stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until scallions are translucent.

While vegetables cook, whisk egg and fish sauce in a mixing bowl and add ½ cup panko, water chestnuts, and cilantro and mix well.

Add vegetable mixture and turkey to the mixing bowl, season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes and mix well again.  Make mixture into 1 ½ inch meatballs (form them gently and not too compactly or they'll be "tough"), roll meatballs in remaining ½ cup panko and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan.  Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray or brush with oil.

Bake meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink.  Remove the pan from the oven and serve immediately, accompanied by Thai Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce or Ponzu Sauce.

Meatball mixture can be prepared up to one day in advance.  Meatballs can be baked up to two days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.  Reheat in a 350 degree oven, covered, for 10-12 minutes or until hot.

WANNA PLAY?

Add spice to your meatballs with Asian hot sauce (Siricha).  

Ready for the oven.