Vietnamese Pork Balls with Hot and Sour Dipping Sauce
Discover the vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia with these Vietnamese Pork Balls with Hot and Sour Dipping Sauce—a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and spicy. Made with tender ground pork infused with garlic, shallot, fish sauce, and a touch of black pepper, these juicy, golden-brown pork balls are a simple yet irresistible treat. Paired with a zesty dipping sauce featuring lime juice, rice vinegar, red chili, and a hint of sweetness, this dish is a celebration of bold contrasts. Quick to prepare in just 35 minutes, it’s ideal for weeknight dinners, appetizers, or party platters. Serve these flavorful pork balls hot, garnished with fresh cilantro, and watch them disappear in no time!
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Ingredients
- 500 grams ground pork
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small shallot
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar (for dipping sauce)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (for dipping sauce)
- 1 clove garlic (for dipping sauce)
- 1 small red chili
- 0.5 small carrot
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Step 1
Finely mince the garlic and shallot. Set aside.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, minced garlic, minced shallot, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, and water. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Step 3
Form the pork mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. You should get approximately 20 pork balls.
Step 4
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork balls, working in batches if necessary, and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Step 5
While the pork balls are cooking, prepare the hot and sour dipping sauce. Mince the garlic and red chili finely. Peel and julienne the carrot into thin strips.
Step 6
In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, minced garlic, chopped red chili, and julienned carrot. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust the balance of sour, sweet, and salty flavors if needed.
Step 7
Once the pork balls are cooked, transfer them to a serving plate. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Step 8
Serve the pork balls hot with the prepared hot and sour dipping sauce on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving size | (837.7g) |
|---|
| Amount per serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|
| Calories | 1938.0 |
| Total Fat 130.7g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 42.3g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 16.8g | |
| Cholesterol 450mg | 0% |
| Sodium 4253.6mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 53.1g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 3.5g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 31.3g | |
| Protein 135.0g | 0% |
| Vitamin D 0IU | 0% |
| Calcium 225.4mg | 0% |
| Iron 6.3mg | 0% |
| Potassium 496.6mg | 0% |
Source of Calories