Japanese Meatballs in Sweet Soy Sauce (Niku Dango)

The full name for this is 'niku-dango no amakara-ni'. This appetiser/side dish is very simple to make. The presentation is lovely since the sauce acts also as a glaze...and its sweet coating makes these meatballs a kid-pleaser too! For fans of Asian street food these meatballs can be presented 'yakitori-style' by putting them on wooden skewers, with 4-5 balls on each skewer.
- Ready In:
- 50mins
- Yields:
- Units:
5
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ingredients
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For meatballs
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 2 ounces lettuce, finely chopped
- 3 ounces carrots, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 pinch salt
- 1⁄2 beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
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For the sauce
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
directions
- Mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl. Knead the mixture until the ingredients are well combined. The beaten egg should give a stickiness to the rest of the mixture, holding it together.
- Take a small amount of the mixture -slightly less than a tablespoon) in your hand and mould it into a ball. Continue until the meatball mixture is used up.
- Fill a pan about one-third full of cooking oil. Heat oil to 350ºF and deep fry the meatballs until brown, about 5 minute (Turn meatballs halfway to ensure they are browned evenly.).
- Remove meatballs to plate lined with absorbent paper, to drain off excess oil.
- Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan. Mix them together over a low heat, stirring until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the meatballs to the pan and roll them around in the pan until they are all covered with the sauce.
- Pour the meatballs with sauce onto a serving plate and serve!
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RECIPE MADE WITH LOVE BY
@nuwa8191
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@nuwa8191
Contributor
"The full name for this is 'niku-dango no amakara-ni'. This appetiser/side dish is very simple to make. The presentation is lovely since the sauce acts also as a glaze...and its sweet coating makes these meatballs a kid-pleaser too! For fans of Asian street food these meatballs can be presented 'yakitori-style' by putting them on wooden skewers, with 4-5 balls on each skewer."
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I think that this is a wonderful idea! I needed an extra side dish quickly, so I used store bought meatballs and the same sauce ingredients, with honey, orange juice, and honey barbecue sauce added- I did use a lot more water as I wanted a thinner sauce. They turned out awesome- I received several compliments on them!Reply
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My husband and son loved these meatballs. When making the meatbals I used dry sherry in place of the sake. When I made the sauce I used sherry in place of the mirin and found that I needed to add about 1/4 cup of water so the sauce was not too thick. I made these in the food processor and baked them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for the recipe.1Reply
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My husband and son loved these meatballs. When making the meatbals I used dry sherry in place of the sake. When I made the sauce I used sherry in place of the mirin and found that I needed to add about 1/4 cup of water so the sauce was not too thick. I made these in the food processor and baked them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for the recipe.Reply
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