Homemade Asian Pork Meatballs (look chin moo)

Method14 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Grind peppercorns in a mortar and pestle into a powder, then add garlic (5 cloves) and pound into a fine paste.

   Uses 1 tsp black peppercorns · 5 cloves garlic

2. 2

   Step 2: Put the garlic-pepper paste, pork, salt (½ tsp), soy sauce (2 Tbsp), 4 tsp sugar, tapioca starch (2 Tbsp) and baking powder (1/2 tsp) in a food processor. Keep the ice separate for gradual addition.

   Uses 500 g lean ground pork · ½ tsp salt · 2 Tbsp soy sauce · 4 tsp sugar · 2 Tbsp tapioca starch · 1/2 tsp baking powder · peppercorns finely ground and pounded with five garlic cloves

3. 3

   Step 3: Process the pork until very smooth, adding ice cubes (100 g) gradually as the machine grinds. Stop to scrape 2-3 times to make sure everything is evenly ground.

   Uses 100 g ice cubes · 500 g pork mixed with garlic paste, salt, soy, sugar, starch and baking powder

4. 4

   Step 4: Once the pork looks very fine (about 5 minutes on my machine) transfer into a bowl.

   Uses pork processed with 100 g ice added gradually until very smooth

5. 5

   Step 5: In a large pot, add water so that it's about half full. Heat the water on high just until there is steam coming off the top but there is no bubbling in the water. Once this is reached, turn heat down to low to maintain the temperature.

   Uses water to half-fill meatball poaching pot

6. 6

   Step 6: Form small balls with two spoons or a small scoop, or squeeze portions of the smooth paste through a curved thumb and forefinger and scoop off with a spoon. Place each in the hot water. Keep the water steaming gently without bubbling.

   Uses smooth pork paste transferred to a bowl for shaping · half a pot water heated until steaming without bubbling and kept low

7. 7

   Step 7: After adding the last balls, poach another 10–15 minutes until fully cooked. Make the last few slightly misshapen so you can identify them for checking; the centre of a pork meatball should reach 160°F (71°C).

   Poach last meatballs through · 15 minUses small balls formed from pork paste and added one at a time

8. 8

   Step 8: Once done, remove them with a slotted spoon. They're now ready to use!

   Uses last-added meatballs poached ten to fifteen minutes, with pork centres cooked to 160°F (71°C)

9. 9

   Step 9: Save the cooking water to make soup because it's now very flavourful. I usually just season it more and use it to make noodle soup which I serve with the meatballs I've just made.

   Uses cooked poaching water reserved for optional soup

10. 10

    Step 10: For optional grilled skewers, soak wooden skewers in water a few hours or overnight before grilling. Skip steps 10–12 if serving the poached meatballs directly.

    Uses water for optional wooden skewer soaking

11. 11

    Step 11: Skewer the meatballs.

    Uses poached balls ready for optional soaked skewers

12. 12

    Step 12: Grill on medium heat, flipping them as needed, until browned on both sides. Alternatively, place them under the oven broiler (high setting) until browned, then flip to brown the other side. To prevent the skewers from burning under the broiler you can cover the exposed part of the skewers with foil; if grilling you and place a sheet of foil under the exposed skewers.

    Uses poached meatballs threaded onto soaked skewers

13. 13

    Step 13: Mix sweet chilli sauce and Sriracha, starting with 2 parts sweet chilli sauce to 1 part Sriracha by volume. Taste and adjust the ratio.

    Uses Sweet chili sauce (store bought or homemade) · Sriracha (store bought or homemade)

14. 14

    Step 14: Serve the cooked poached meatballs, or the browned grilled alternative, with the prepared look chin dipping sauce.

    Uses fully cooked poached balls for serving directly if skipping grilling · poached balls grilled or broiled until brown, only if using that alternative · sweet chilli sauce and Sriracha mixed 2:1 and adjusted to taste