Sweet and sour meatballs with vegetables and longan

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g minced pork
• 150 g minced beef
• 20 g ginger
• 10 garlic cloves
• 10 g garlic clove(s), pickled sweet and sour
• 2 tsp red pepper, freshly ground
• 8 g vegetable stock powder
• 3 tbsp sesame oil, dark
• 2 tsp sugar, fine
• 2 tbsp tapioca flour
• 80 g carrot(s)
• 500 g water
• 16 g broth powder (mushroom bouillon, granules)
• 200 g basmati rice
• 40 g onion(s), red, small
• 15 g garlic clove(s)
• 20 g ginger
• 2 small chili peppers, green
• 200 g longan fruits (can)
• 1 m.-large bell pepper(s), green
• 1 m.-large bell pepper(s), red
• 1 Pepper, red, long, mild
• 3 tbsp fish sauce, light
• 4 tbsp vinegar (garlic vinegar)
• 100 g juice, collected (longan juice)
• 2 tsp, leveled tapioca flour
• 2 tbsp rice wine, yellow, clear, spicy-mild
• 1 ½ liters of frying oil
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• n. B. flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

A Thai menu served on a bed of rice.

For the meatballs, the day before, place the ground pork and ground beef in a large bowl. Peel the ginger and garlic cloves. Finely grate the ginger. Squeeze the garlic cloves. Add all ingredients, from ginger to tapioca flour, to the minced meat and knead vigorously until a smooth mixture forms. Transfer to a suitable bowl and cover with cling film to allow air to escape and let it mature overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, for the rice bed, wash and peel a carrot and grate it using a medium-fine grater. Bring the water to a boil, dissolve the mushroom stock powder in it. Add the grated carrot and basmati rice and simmer with the lid on for 12 minutes. After 10 minutes, mix the rice, continue cooking with the lid on until done, and let it mature for 25 minutes without opening the lid. For the vegetables, peel and finely chop the onions, garlic cloves, and ginger. Cut the washed chilies crosswise into thin slices. Leave the seeds on and discard the stems. Drain the deseeded longan fruits well. Wash the bell peppers and chili peppers. Quarter the bell peppers, removing any seeds and white parts. Cut lengthwise into approximately 6 mm wide strips and then cut these into thirds crosswise. Cut the chili peppers diagonally into approximately 3 mm wide pieces and deseed them. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Divide the meat mixture into 24 equal portions and form each portion into balls. Heat the frying oil to 170 degrees Celsius, fry the balls in 4 portions until light brown and keep warm. Heat the sunflower oil in a wok until very hot, add the onions, garlic cloves, ginger, and chilies, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the bell peppers and chili peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the longan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Deglaze with the sauce and simmer with the lid on for 2 minutes over reduced heat. Divide the rice among serving bowls and spread them out. Top with the vegetables with a slotted spoon and add the meatballs. Drizzle with the remaining sauce, garnish as desired, serve, and enjoy.