These bouncy flavor-packed meatballs remind me of my mom’s pork and shrimp wonton filling. Even my picky son Ollie gave this recipe his enthusiastic seal of approval. (In other words, he finished his supper in a matter of minutes rather than hours.)
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Wonton Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water until rehydrated
- 1/2 pound shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Paleo-friendly fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- Avocado oil
Optional garnishes
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- Dumpling dipping sauce
- Nom Nom Chili Crisp
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, rehydrate your dried mushrooms. (Pro tip: Soak them in a bowl if water in the morning so they’ll be plump and tender by the time you’re ready to make dinner.)
- Once you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 400°F and squeeze the water out of the mushrooms. Cut off the hard stems, and finely mince the caps.
- Finely chop the shrimp until it turns into a chunky paste.
- Transfer the chopped shrimp to a large bowl. Add the pork, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, coconut aminos, salt, fish sauce, whie pepper and sesame oil.
- Use your hands to squeeze and mix the meatball mixture until a sticky and tacky mass is formed. (Alternatively, use a food processor to chop and combine the ingredients.)
- Form a little patty and cook it in a small skillet over medium heat. Taste it and season with more salt if needed. (Not ready to cook just yet? You can refrigerate the meat mixture for up to 12 hours.)
- Use a 3-tablespoon scooper to portion out 12 blobs of the mixture.
- Rub a little oil on your palms, and roll the meat into 1½-inch balls.
- Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on a greased or parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. (Or arrange the balls in a greased oven-safe skillet.)
- Bake the balls in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- If desired, garnish with scallions and serve with dumpling dipping sauce or Nom Nom Chili Crisp.
Notes
Excerpted from Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! © 2022 written & photographed by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. Reproduced by permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing. All rights reserved.