Juicy, aromatic and perfectly delicious, these Vietnamese meatballs will make you want to make this dish over and over again. Served over broccoli rice with Sriracha mayo on top. Keto, paleo, gluten-free and Whole30-friendly.
Ingredients
- 500 g ground pork or other minced meat (1.1 lbs.)
- 1 stalk lemongrass use the lower half only, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced or grated
- 1/2 jalapeño finely diced (long red chilli)
- 1 spring onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil for cooking
Broccoli Rice
- 1 medium head broccoli cut into florets (cut the bigger florets in half again)
- 1 clove garlic finely diced
- 1 spring onion diced small
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
Sriracha Mayo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise for Whole30, pick a compliant brand
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
To serve:
- 1 shaved raw medium zucchini you could also do carrots
- A handful of fresh coriander
- Lime slices
Instructions
- Make the meatballs.Combine all ingredients together and use your hands to work through the meat to make sure everything is well incorporated. Use wet hands to mould the mixture into small balls. You should get about 15-17 balls.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes total (3-4 minutes each side, plus 1-2 minutes on the edges). While these are cooking, prepare other ingredients.
- Make the broccoli rice.Use a food processor or your mad knife skills to chop the broccoli florets into tiny pieces, kind of like large rice kernels. I use a small food processor and do this in two batches. Transfer to a bowl. Dice up a clove of garlic and a spring onion.
- Heat a dollop of butter in another pan or a pot over medium heat (use ghee or olive oil for Whole30 and paleo). Add the chopped garlic and onions and stir through for about 30 seconds. Add the riced broccoli and season with a little sea salt and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until just cooked through but still has some crunch.
- Finishing touches.Whisk together the spicy mayo sauce in a bowl. Shave a small zucchini using a peeler, cut a few more chili slices, lime wedges and wash the coriander.
- Assemble the meatballs over broccoli rice and drizzle with the mayo sauce. Add a few more finishing touches and serve.
Notes
Freezing/Make-Ahead: Cooked and raw meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make the mayo sauce and broccoli rice fresh. Although, the sriracha mayo will last quite well in the fridge in an airtight container if you want to make a larger batch and store for later.
Nutrition
Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1566mg | Potassium: 1072mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 152mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 3mg
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