Vietnamese meatballs

Before living in London, I didn’t have an iota of knowledge about Vietnamese food, but it has firmly become one of my favorite cuisines. The flavours are punchy, not overly heavy, and just the kind of sunshine food that is right up my alley.

Now, based in Cape Town, that love hasn’t faltered. This dish highlights all my favorite things—flavorful chicken meatballs, pickled vegetables, and rice noodles, all tied together with beautiful nuoc cham.

Vietnamese Meatballs - Serves 2

Meatballs:

• 320g chicken mince (can be substituted with pork mince)

• 10g crushed garlic

• 5g finely chopped ginger

• 10g finely chopped lemongrass

• 1 African bird's eye chili

• Zest of 1 lime

Honey Soy Glaze:

• 25g honey

• 20ml soy sauce

• 10ml fish sauce

Pickled Vegetables:

• 2 carrots, peeled and julienned

• 2 radishes, finely sliced

• 375ml boiling water

• 100g sugar

• 10g salt

• 180ml apple cider vinegar

Nuoc Cham:

• 30g palm sugar

• 125ml boiling water

• 45ml lime juice

• 2 chilies, finely diced

• 5g crushed garlic

Plating:

• 200g vermicelli rice noodles, soaked in boiling water for 7 minutes, then drained

• Fresh coriander

• Wedge of lime

Method:

1. Start by pickling your vegetables. In two separate bowls, place the carrots and radishes.

2. Combine the water, sugar, salt, and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan. Heat on medium until the sugar and salt have dissolved.

3. Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables until they are just covered (reserve the rest of the liquid for the noodles). Let the vegetables pickle for an hour.

4. Now, prepare the nuoc cham. Chop the palm sugar into finer shards, then pour the boiling water over it to melt the sugar. Let it cool slightly, then add the remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge (you will have extra, which can be used as a dipping sauce for various dishes).

5. For the meatballs, combine the chicken mince, crushed garlic, chopped ginger, lemongrass, chili, and lime in a bowl. Mix well so the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the meat.

6. Roll the mixture into 20g balls.

7. Heat a frying pan on medium and add a bit of oil. Cook the meatballs until they are cooked through and golden.

8. Off the heat, pour the honey soy glaze over the meatballs, coating them thoroughly.

Plating:

1. Pour the remaining pickling liquid over the prepared noodles. Place the noodles in a shallow, wide bowl, then divide the meatballs equally among the bowls.

2. Garnish with pickled vegetables, coriander, and lime. Generously douse or dip your meatballs in the nuoc cham.