Chinese-style meatballs with vegetables in sweet and sour sauce
Description
The dish is prepared without unnecessary complications. You can choose vegetables to your taste and buy ready-made sauce. The meat mixture can be prepared in advance, and even the formed meatballs can be frozen. This way, cooking the dish will take very little time. The finished dish can be served immediately.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, soak the wood ear mushrooms (mu'er) in hot water (about 60°C) for half an hour. Then squeeze out the water and roughly chop the mushrooms, removing the stems and roots.
- 2
Step 2
Then prepare the sauce. I always make a larger batch and store it in the refrigerator. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and high-quality tomato paste. Add grated ginger, garlic powder, and crushed star anise seeds. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Cook for 3–4 minutes, then thicken the sauce by adding starch dissolved in 70 ml of water. Boil for another couple of minutes—your sauce is ready. You'll need 50–70 ml for the dish; transfer the remainder into a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator.
- 3
Step 3
Boil the green beans in sweetened boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then immediately rinse with ice water. This will help the beans retain their bright color in the dish.
- 4
Step 4
Peel the vegetables, rinse and dry them. Cut the carrots and onions into thin strips, finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the peppers and zucchini into small wedges.
- 5
Step 5
Add grated onion – 1 small onion, grated ginger – 2 slices, and grated garlic – 2 cloves to the minced meat. Pour in soy sauce and add chopped green onion and sesame seeds, preferably roasted. Also add starch and thoroughly mix the meat mixture.
- 6
Step 6
With wet hands, shape the meatballs the size of a ping-pong ball.
- 7
Step 7
Heat the oil in a wok and sear the meatballs until browned, shaking the wok occasionally.
- 8
Step 8
Remove the meatballs and sauté the mushrooms, onion, and carrots for about 3 minutes, stirring.
- 9
Step 9
Add the zucchini and peppers, sauté for a couple more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and sauté for another minute.
- 10
Step 10
Pour 50-70 ml of sauce into the wok and stir vigorously. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring the sauce from the bottom of the wok. Turn off the heat and let the dish rest for a few more minutes without heating. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.