Crispy Meatballs with Glass Noodles & Sweet Chili Sauce

Method8 steps · about 35 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak glass noodles in room temp water until pliable - about 7-10 minutes, though this may take longer if the brand's noodles are thicker.

   Soak meatball noodles · 10 minUses 1.4 oz dry glass noodles · room-temperature water for soaking noodles

2. 2

   Step 2: Meanwhile, pound the garlic (5 cloves), peppercorns and cilantro stems (6–8 stalk) into a fine paste in a mortar and pestle.

   Uses 5 cloves garlic · 1 tsp white peppercorns · 6–8 stalk cilantro stems

3. 3

   Step 3: Put the ground pork (1 lb) in a mixing bowl and add the herb paste. Add the soy sauce (2 Tbsp), oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), sugar (1 Tbsp), egg (1) and cornstarch. Knead with your hands for a few minutes until thoroughly mixed and the mixture becomes thicker than when it started. Once ready, the mixture will seem soft but should be able to hold its shape; if not, you can add a bit more cornstarch.

   Uses 1 lb ground pork (see note 1) · 2 Tbsp soy sauce · 1 Tbsp oyster sauce · 1 Tbsp sugar · 1 egg (large or medium (see note 2)) · 3 Tbsp cornstarch (see note 3) · extra cornstarch only if mixture is too soft · garlic, white pepper and cilantro stems or roots pounded fine

4. 4

   Step 4: Drain the glass noodles and place them on a towel to absorb excess water. Use scissors to cut the glass noodles into 2-inch pieces.

   Uses glass noodles softened in room-temperature water

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the glass noodles and chopped green onions (1–2) into the mixture and mix just until the noodles are well distributed.

   Uses 1–2 green onions · soaked noodles dried on towel and cut into two-inch pieces · pork kneaded with herb paste, sauces, sugar, egg and cornstarch

6. 6

   Step 6: Form the meatballs into roughly 1.5 inch balls; tucking in any long pieces of noodles that protrude out. If you see any green onions sitting on the surface you can push them inside so they will not burn or fall off during frying - though this is not a big deal if you don’t have the patience! If you want, you can dip your hands in water and the meatballs will not stick to your hands and will be smoother, but I prefer them to stick to you a bit as they get a more interesting rough surface.

   Uses seasoned pork with softened noodles and green onions distributed evenly

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat about 1.5 inch of frying oil in a pot or wok to about 325°F. Add the meat balls one at a time; you can even crowd them a bit here as they will not get oil-soaked even if the temperature drops a lot. Let them fry for about 20 seconds to firm up and gently stir to make sure they’re not sticking. Fry them for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the internal temp is 160°F (71°C) - or you can cut one open to check doneness. Remove from the oil and drain on a rack or paper towel.

   Fry meatballs · 6 minUses Frying oil (as needed) · roughly one-and-half-inch meatballs, protruding noodles and onions tucked inside

8. 8

   Step 8: Allow them to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. They’re great on their own, but better with sweet chili sauce and a side of fresh cucumber.

   Rest before serving · 5 minUses Thai sweet chili sauce (for serving ) · cucumber slices (for serving (optional)) · meatballs golden outside and cooked to 160°F inside, drained from oil