Thai Balls

Name: Thai Balls
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pound ground pork; 1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, and roughly chopped; 2 large eggs; 3/4 cup fresh Thai or Italian basil, roughly chopped; 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped; 2 Thai chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass or lemongrass paste; 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger; 2 garlic cloves, minced; Juice from 1 lime; 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce; 2 large carrots, julienned or grated using the large holes of a box grater; 10 fresh Thai basil or Italian basil leaves, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (including stems); 10 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

24 ingredients

12 steps

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground pork
1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, and roughly chopped
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh Thai or Italian basil, roughly chopped
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 Thai chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass or lemongrass paste
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 large carrots, julienned or grated using the large holes of a box grater
10 fresh Thai basil or Italian basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (including stems)
10 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 450F.
2

Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface.
3

Set aside.
4

Combine the ground pork, shrimp, eggs, basil, cilantro, mint, chiles, bread crumbs, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and fish sauce in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
5

Roll the mixture into round, golf ballsize meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly.
6

Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.
7

The meatballs should be touching one another.
8

Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.
9

A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165F.
10

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish.
11

Meanwhile, to make the garnish, place the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, carrots, basil, cilantro, mint, peanuts, and sesame seeds in a bowl and toss to combine.
12

Spoon the garnish over the top of the meatballs and serve with the peanut sauce (if using).