Pork Meatballs with Ginger and Patis
These Pork Meatballs with Ginger and Patis are filled with familiar flavors Filipinos love. It was one of the easiest meatball recipes I cooked. Use lean ground pork and mix in minced ginger, onions, garlic, patis (fish sauce), and seasonings. Bind it all together with crushed Ritz crackers. I plated the cooked meatballs on a bed of crisp, blanched snow peas, also known as 'sitsaro' to Filipinos. It was a delightful entree. This was inspired by a recipe from the New York Times Cooking section. Serves 2 to 4.
Prep Time1 hour hr
Cook Time14 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 14 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Pork Meatballs Ginger Patis
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 121kcal
Author: Asian in America
For the pork meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from a knob of a 1-inch piece, peeled, chopped fine and mince.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 whole medium-sized onion, chopped fine
- 1 Tablespoon patis (fish sauce)
- 1 whole large egg
- 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers (regular variety) about 10 to 12 whole crackers
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
For vegetables:
- 500 grams snow peas, edges trimmed
- 1 Tablespoon thick soy sauce
For serving:
- steamed rice
- fresh lemon slices for garnish
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped, for garnish
To cook the pork meatballs:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the rest of the ingredients, except for the vegetable oil. Mix well.Shape the pork mixture into meatballs, 1-inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on a tray or large plate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up before cooking. In a large skillet or wok, over medium-high heat, add the oil. When oil is hot enough after 1 to 2 minutes, drop the meatballs into the skillet. Pan fry the meatballs for about 10 to 12 minutes or till completely cooked.Using a turner or slotted spoon, turn the meatballs around once for even cooking.When meatballs are cooked, drain on paper towels or parchment paper to remove excess grease.
To cook the vegetables:
In a medium-sized stockpot filled with boiling water, blanch the snap peas for 1 to 2 minutes.Remove the snow peas from the boiling water. Soak them in an ice bath (bowl filled with iced water) for 5 minutes. Drain liquid. Transfer snow peas to a bowl.Pour the thick soy sauce over the vegetables. Blend well till all the snow peas are coated with the soy sauce.
To plate the dish:
On a serving platter, lay the snow peas at the bottom in a single layer. Place the cooked pork meatballs over the snow peas.Garnish with chopped scallions and sliced lemons for sprinkling on the meatballs. Serve warm with rice.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g