Chinese Meatballs with Vegetables in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Minced meat and vegetables are what you need for dinner! Spicy meatballs with crispy vegetables in a spicy and aromatic sauce! A bit of Asia on a summer evening …

Summary

Ingredients

• Homemade mince – 400 gram
• Onions – 2 Pieces
• Green onions – 2-3 pieces
• Fresh Ginger – 4-5 Slices
• Garlic – 4-5 Cloves
• Sesame – 2 Tbsp. spoons
• Soy sauce – 2 Tbsp. spoons
• Corn starch – 1 tablespoon. spoon (with a hill)
• Carrots – 2 Pieces (young)
• Zucchini – 0.5 Piece (young)
• Green beans – 200 Grams
• Sweet pepper – 2 pieces
• Muer mushrooms – 25 grams (1 pack)
• Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp
• Spice Blend – 2 Teaspoons (Wusangmian Chinese Blend (5 Spices))
• Brown sugar – 5 Tbsp. spoons (FOR SAUCE: all products below)
• Rice White Vinegar – 100 Milliliters
• Soy sauce – 3 Tbsp. spoons
• Tomato paste – 4 Tbsp. spoons (high quality)
• Cornstarch – 1-2 Teaspoons
• Water – 70 Milliliters
• Fresh ginger – 2 Teaspoons (grated)
• Garlic Powder – 1 Teaspoon
• Star anise – 0.5 Teaspoon (ground seeds)

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Instructions

1. Soak muer mushrooms in hot water at 60°C (140°F) for 30 min. Squeeze out the water and chop coarsely, removing roots and legs.
2. Make sauce — Combine soy sauce (3 Tbsp), rice vinegar (100 ml), brown sugar (5 Tbsp), and tomato paste (4 Tbsp). Add grated ginger (2 tsp), garlic powder (1 tsp), and ground star anise (0.5 tsp). Stir well and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook 3-4 min. Mix cornstarch (1-2 tsp) with water (70 ml) and stir into the sauce. Return to boil and cook 2-3 min more. Use 50-70 ml for this dish and refrigerate the rest in a clean, dry jar with a tight lid.
3. Boil green beans (200g) in sweetened boiling water for 3-4 min. Immediately rinse with ice water to preserve their bright color.
4. Peel, rinse and dry all vegetables. Chop carrots and onions into strips, mince garlic and ginger, and cut pepper and zucchini into small pieces.
5. In a bowl, combine minced meat (400g) with 1 small onion (grated), ginger (2 slices, grated), garlic (2 cloves, grated), soy sauce (2 Tbsp), chopped green onions, sesame seeds (2 Tbsp, preferably fried), and cornstarch (1 Tbsp with a mound). Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to shape meatballs.
6. Using damp hands, shape the mixture into meatballs roughly the size of a ping-pong ball.
7. Heat vegetable oil (3 Tbsp) in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs until golden brown, about 5-7 min, shaking the wok occasionally.
8. Remove the meatballs from the wok. Add mushrooms, onions, and carrots to the wok. Sauté over medium-high heat for 3 min, stirring occasionally.
9. Add zucchini and peppers to the wok. Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 min, stirring occasionally.
10. Pour sauce (50-70 ml) into the wok. Add the meatballs back to the wok and stir vigorously. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 min, stirring from the bottom of the wok. Turn off heat and let sit undisturbed for 2-3 min. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions before serving.

Bon appetit!