WHB: Asian Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce (Ginger Root)

Several months ago, Kristen at Dine and Dish posted a recipe for Asian meatballs. I read it and immediately knew I wanted to make them.  I finally did today, and  they were delicious.  I made some changes in the recipe, using ground turkey instead of veal and pork. I have nothing against pork, the ground turkey was on sale and I often use it instead of pork.   I also added some minced ginger root that wasn't in the original recipe, because I'm hopelessly addicted to it.   Soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and ginger root are my favorite flavors.  Just the smell of them makes my taste buds stand up and salute.   I can't remember exactly when I first had ginger root, but I can't imagine life without it. It's like garlic and peppercorns, a vital ingredient.  So, even though this recipe contains cilantro, which I also love, I'm choosing ginger root as the starring herb for Weekend Herb Blogging.  WHB was created by the marvelous Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen, but it's being hosted this week by the incredible Katie at Thyme For Cooking.  When I grow up, I want to live just like Katie.  Stop by her blog and check out the WHB Roundup on Monday.

This was a very enjoyable meal and I will make it again. The meatballs were very easy to assemble.  I used a 1/4 cup to measure the amount for each meatball.  Then they baked in a very hot oven for just 15 minutes, emerging juicy and full of flavor.  The tangy lime, sesame seed, and soy dipping sauce elevated the flavor--and added a fun factor. I love dipping sauces.

Asian Meatballs With Sesame Lime Dipping Sauce

Adapted from Gourmet (May 2007)

Servings:   Makes 4 (main course) servings.

1/4 cup milk  (I used 1%)
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs  (I used Panko)
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey, with dark meat  (Don't use breast meat, it will be too dry)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped ( did it in my food processor)
1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger root
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus
1/4 cup sprigs
5 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons sugar
Accompaniment: steamed white rice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.

Pour milk over bread crumbs in a large bowl and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add ground meat, egg, water chestnuts, salt, chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 3 tablespoons meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish. Make more meatballs with remaining mixture, arranging meatballs about 1/2 inch apart in baking dish. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together lime juice, water, sugar, remaining 4 tablespoons soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a bowl until sugar is dissolved.

Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs.

Serve meatballs with remaining sauce.
Makes 4 (main course) servings.

Note:  I always make a tiny meatball and boil or microwave it, to check if the seasonings are right. I wound up adding a little more salt to the meat mixture before I formed the rest of the meatballs.

Comments

[Rosa]

Those meatballs look very flavorful and gorgeously delicious! A great recipe! I like the last picture...

[KatieZ]

I love it! I would have to sub parsley for the cilantro, of course, hahaha!
But the ginger and sesame oil, yum!!!!

[Lydia]

Yum! I love turkey meatballs -- I've been playing around with all sorts of flavoring combinations, so I'll definitely try this one.

[Kristen]

You are making me want to make these again with your yummy additions. I bet they were delicious.
I LOVE your tip about microwaving one tiny meatball. That is brilliant!

[kate]

As Homer Simpson (and Kate) might say

"mmmmm.....meatball"

[Tanna]

Yes, I saw those on Kristen's and like them then. Yours are beautiful also. I just must get them made!
Fabulous photos here!

[Belinda]

These look great. I won't go near veal with a ten foot pole, so I love your substitution of ground turkey. And I agree...ginger, sesame, and soy sauce are always great! :-)

[Jenn]

Shhhhhyummy jat eez! I'm trying to think of a way to make them without an oven. I wonder if I could brown them like I normally would for spaghetti meatballs, and then simmer them in, say, some chicken or vegetable broth. Hmmmmmm.

[Kalyn]

Great photos, everything looks so appetizing!

I agree with Kristen, just brilliant to microwave one meatball and taste it before baking all the other! (Now why didn't I ever think of doing that?)

I love ginger too. And of course, cilantro. I'm not a fan of the way water chestnuts feel on your teeth, but I think I might like them chopped up like this, since I like the flavor.

[Butta Buns]

I wish I could jump right through the screen and grab a handful! I love how you use ground turkey, I'm definitely trying this one.

BTW, there's another meatball recipe of yours I make regularly. Most of my coworkers have made it too now.

[crysV]

I'm feeling homesick again looking at your meatballs. And I don't even really like meatballs but yours seem to call out to me lol.. nice blog btw! :)

[Glenna]

Mmmmm....those make me really hungry!

[Anh]

Sher, these meatballs look amazing! I just have to try it out!

[aria]

YUM! those look fantastic! i would have had all the ingredients had i not used all my ginger in cold soba noodles last night. i wish i had tht very bowl for breakfast right now :)

[Deborah]

This looks very good!! I'm hungry now!

[Jennifer]

I saw this recipe a while ago and it's bookmarked. I still haven't gotten to half of the recipes I have bookmarked. Someday! This one looks SOOOO yummy though!

[Kevin]

Great photos. These sound really tasty. (Bookmarked) I agree, sesame oil and ginger smell good. I like the idea of quickly making one meatball in the microwave to test the seasoning.

[Cate O'Malley]

Those meatballs are totally making my mouth water.

[Karen]

Yum! I'm in love with meatballs.
Thanks for reminding me.

[music]

very interesting.
i'm adding in RSS Reader

[Nicole]

This was delicious! I made it tonight and have already passed it on to everyone I know. Thanks!