Vietnamese Pork Balls with Fresh Herb Salad
Introduction
Serves: 4 – makes about 30 pork balls
Ingredients
500g (1 lb 1 oz) pork mince (ground pork)
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup panko crumbs
6 makrut lime leaves, shredded
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp peeled and grated ginger
1 hot red chilli, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and chopped
Dressing
4 Tbsp white vinegar
1 hot red chilli, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped shallots
Herb salad
1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed, optional
½ telegraph (tender-skinned) cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
½ cup mint leaves
2 cups micro cress or cos or iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
Extras
Oil for frying, if required
Steamed rice
Toasted coconut flakes
Sliced red chilli
Mayonnaise, optional
Method
1 Put mince in a large bowl, add all the other pork ball ingredients and mix until smooth (it’s best to wear disposable food gloves for this job). Shape into 30 small balls, putting them on a tray as they are done. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or longer (overnight is fine).
2 Bring pork balls to room temperature before cooking. Preheat a barbecue hot plate (griddle) on medium. Cook pork balls until golden brown and cooked through. Alternatively, drizzle with a little oil and cook over a barbecue grill, or cook in a little hot oil in a non-stick frying pan (skillet). Transfer to a plate as they are done.
3 Have the dressing ingredients mixed together in a small dish and the salad ingredients tossed together in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss lightly.
4 Serve pork balls with steamed rice and garnish with coconut and chilli. Serve salad separately.
Recipe notes
These pork balls have plenty of flavour, but I think they are even better with a dollop or two of mayonnaise on the side, especially when eaten in a sandwich.
