Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
2 shallots, minced
1 egg
1 tablespoon half and half or milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Flour
Grapeseed oil
Sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
14 ounces pineapple chunks (with liquid)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon srichacha sauce
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs except flour and oil. Mix with hands until just incorporated, adding more breadcrumbs if necessary to pull the meat together. Shape ground beef into balls about 1″ big and place on a platter.
2. Once all the balls have been shaped, drizzle grapeseed oil in a wide pan. When hot, cook meatballs in batches until browned, approximately 1-3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Save the oil from cooked meatballs when done.
3. Mix cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Add to the same pan that just held the meatballs and stir continuously to combine.
4. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir well to mix everything. Allow to heat over a medium low flame and cook until it sauce just begins to bubble.
5. Add the meatballs back to the sauce and simmer on low until thick, approximately 5-7 minutes.