Yummy Asian Balls

You may have seen something like this on your local Chinese Buffet. These little guys are just the yummiest little appetizer tidbits ever. You can bake, steam or grill them on little bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water and keep them warm on a warming platter or chafer. Your guests will be clamoring for more, and they're better if made a couple of days ahead and re-warmed in a low oven for a few minutes.

Doc's Hot Juicy Balls
2 & 1/2 pounds pork butt (you can use ground pork if you don't own a Cuisinart, but eliminate the sesame oil because of the extra fat in the ground meat)
1 egg
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 Tablespoons Nuoc Mam (fish sauce - available in the ethnic section of the grocery - don't freak out that it smells like dirty twat right out of the bottle - once it's mixed with other things and/or cooked it loses that pungency)
4 Tablespoons dry sherry
4 Tablespoons liquid smoke
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 green onions - tops and all

Run all of this through youe Cuisinart until very smooth, or mince it all up very fine and mix it very well by hand. Form little walnut-sized balls (it helps to keep your hands wet to keep the mixture from sticking to your skin).

To cook them you can brown them off in a skillet or on top of your pancake griddle if you're making a whole bunch, then transfer them to a cookie sheet to bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or you can run them onto bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and finish cooking them on a low grill. - Makes about 75.

I like to serve these in a chafer with some Asian-flavored chicken or beef broth to keep them moist and serve a traditional dipping sauce with them although some people like to use prepackaged Hoisin or sweet & sour sauce (Although why anyone would want to do that when this is so tasty and easy is beyond me).

Dipping Sauce:
1 Cup Nuoc Mam
3 Tablespoons Dry Sherry
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 cloves grated garlic
1 good-sized chunk of freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup grated daikon radish or Wasabi to taste
juice of 1 lime
Chili oil or chili garlic paste to taste

1 green onion - tops & all - sliced very finely for garnish

Mix well & chill overnight in 'fridge so all the yumminess of the different ingredients has time to intermingle. You can serve this as is or you can warm it up and add a couple tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with about a half cup of cold water and cook it over medium heat until it thickens. The sauce sticks to the meatballs better this way.