Asian Meatballs w/ Fried Rice

I'm starting to be at a crossroads in my life. I'll be turning 25 this year, and I've been in college since I was 18, still with nothing to show for it. It's starting to really bother me. I'm antsy to make something of myself, but at the same time realize it's still going to take time to accomplish that. So here in lies the crossroads. Go to pharmacy school or finish up my biology degree and go to graduate school for food science? I love both fields, I mean, I've worked for a pharmacy for about 5 years and there's nothing better than the satisfaction you get out of really making a difference in someone's life. But then again, food science! Wow, I could work in research & development in food labs. I'd be hands on with products and potentially incur the same revenue as I would as a pharmacist. Either choice would allow me to finish up about the same time, so time really isn't an issue. I think this all just came about really because I still haven't heard back from my pharmacy school application. Am I just paranoid? I need a back up plan in case all else fails, but this is just downright nerve racking! Anyway, this all has nothing to do with today's dish, really, just had to vent for a minute.


Ingredients:
Adapted from Vanilla Sugar's blog

1 lb. ground pork
1 small onion, grated
1 egg
5 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons black bean sauce with garlic
pinch of cornstarch
pinch of powdered ginger
2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, chopped
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
1 small can bamboo shoots, drained
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons pad thai sauce

Whoa that's a big list of ingredients! Don't let it deter you! Most of it, if you cook enough Asian foods like me, will already be in your pantry! If not, still give it a go because it's definitely worth it!

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine pork, egg, grated onion, 3 garlic cloves, fresh ginger, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and panko bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Mix well and form about 1-2 inch meatballs.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet and brown meatballs on all sides. Do not cook all the way, just get them nice and browned. Then place on a greased baking sheet and bake in oven for about 15 minutes.

Drain most of oil off of skillet, but leave just a bit. Combine honey, black bean garlic sauce, corn starch, powdered ginger, and 4 tablespoons of soy sauce in a small bowl. Add to skillet under medium heat and cook until it bubbles and slightly thickens. Pour mixture over meatballs and coat well.

Heat up a little more canola oil in another large skillet under medium high heat and add garlic. Stir until fragrant, about a minute or so, and add in cooked rice. Then add carrots, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and peanuts. Mix well. Add pad thai sauce and a few dashes of soy sauce to the rice mixture. Incorporate the sauces well throughout the rice. Top with chopped green onion.

Serve meatballs on top of rice and dig in!


These were some of the most flavorful and delicious meatballs I've ever had. Definitely has one leg up on the Italian variety! Enjoy!

Shrimp Stir Fry

I've said it once, and I'll say it again, stir frys are awesome. They're fast, they're easy, and they're pretty much the most versatile thing one can cook. Throw in what you have and voila, you have an instant stir fry. I love this version a lot because it's very fresh with the crisp vegetables, and the sauce just pulls everything together. Thanks to the folks over at Aggie's Kitchen for this great recipe that I tweaked just a tad.

Ingredients:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 broccoli head, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup snap peas
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

Combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili paste, cornstarch, fish sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl until well incorporated.

Heat a skillet under medium to high heat. Add the oil, garlic, and shrimp. Saute until shrimp are just pink, about 3 minutes. Take shrimp out of pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add onion and broccoli to wok. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add water chestnuts and snap peas. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add shrimp back in and stir in sauce. Let sauce thicken and mix well, maybe 5 more minutes. Really just cook it until the vegetables are to your desired doneness. Some like them crispy, some like them mushy. I like them somewhere in between. You can serve with rice or eat by itself. Enjoy!


This was absolutely great. Whipped up in minutes. It probably took more time prepping the vegetables and the shrimp and it did to actually have everything cooked and ready. Definitely a keeper recipe!