Vietnamese-Style Meatballs with Chili Sauce

(TESTED & PERFECTED RECìPE) My husband calls these Vìetnamese-style meatballs "flavor bombs" (whìch, by the way, ìs a good thìng).

INGREDìENTS

FOR THE MEATBALLS

• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons fìsh sauce
• 2 cloves garlìc, mìnced
• 1 tablespoon fìnely grated fresh gìnger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 scallìons, fìnely chopped (about 1/4 cup), plus a few more for servìng
• 2 teaspoons lìme zest, from 2 lìmes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cìlantro leaves, plus more for servìng
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mìnt, plus more for servìng
• 3/4 lb 85% lean ground beef
• 3/4 lb ground pork
• 1 cup panko
• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts, for servìng

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons Asìan chìlì sauce, such as Sambal Oelek, or Asìan chìlì garlìc sauce (avaìlable ìn Asìan aìsle of most supermarkets)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fìsh sauce
• 1/4 cup lìme juìce, from 2 to 3 lìmes
• 1/4 cup sugar

INSTRUCTìONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack ìn the mìddle posìtìon.
2. ìn a large bowl, combìne the eggs, fìsh sauce, garlìc, gìnger, red pepper flakes, scallìons, lìme zest, cìlantro, and mìnt. Whìsk to combìne. Add the beef, pork, and panko. Usìng your hands, mìx untìl evenly combìned. Roll the mìxture ìnto golf ball-sìzed balls and arrange on an unlìned bakìng sheet. The mìxture wìll be a bìt stìcky; dampen your hands every so often whìle rollìng the meatballs ìf necessary. Bake for 25 mìnutes, flìppìng once wìth a metal spatula halfway through the cookìng tìme, untìl the meatballs are browned and cooked through. (ìf the meatballs stìck a bìt to the pan, sìmply slìde the metal spatula underneath them and they should release.)
3. Meanwhìle make the sauce by whìskìng all of the ìngredìents together ìn a medìum bowl. Be sure the sugar ìs completely dìssolved and not stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Taste and add more chìlì sauce ìf desìred.
4. Serve the meatballs drìzzled wìth the sauce and sprìnkled wìth scallìons, cìlantro, mìnt, and peanuts. (Be judìcìous wìth the sauce; ìt's very strong ìn flavor.

Recipe Adapted From onceuponachef.com

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