Canadian Chinese Take Out - Golden Dragon Meatballs w/ Sweet & Sour Sauce & Fresh Pickles (Pork)

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground beef is often less expensive.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: tamari

💰Cheaper: coconut aminos

Tamari is gluten-free, while coconut aminos is often cheaper and lower in sodium.

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: white sugar

Honey adds natural sweetness, while white sugar is more economical.

rice vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar offers health benefits, while white vinegar is a budget-friendly option.

Wash and cut half of a green bell pepper in half, removing the seeds and core, then cut into chunks.

Cut half of a medium tomato in half, removing the core and cutting into chunks.

Peel and cut half a carrot into slices.

Slice the ends off half a medium onion, peel it, and cut into chunks, separating the layers.

Make the fresh pickled marinade by combining 1/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl, mixing until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour the pickled marinade over the chopped vegetables and let them marinate for 3-4 hours, mixing occasionally.

In a bowl, combine 1 pound of ground pork with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, mixing well.

Break the meat into portions and roll them into meatballs, about the size of supermarket meatballs, yielding approximately 20 meatballs.

Heat a wok half full of oil on high heat for about 5 minutes, testing the temperature with a wooden chopstick until bubbles form.

Deep fry the meatballs in the hot oil for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown.

Remove the meatballs from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain.

Drain the pickled vegetables to remove excess liquid before adding them to the wok.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the cleaned hot wok and stir-fry the drained vegetables for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.

In a separate pot, combine 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of ketchup, bringing it to a boil for a couple of minutes.

In a bowl, mix 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water to create a slurry, ensuring it's well dissolved.

Add the cornstarch slurry to the boiling sauce to thicken it, stirring well.

Add the fried meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat them evenly.

Serve the sweet and sour meatballs with rice.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens