Vietnamese Meatball / Xiu Mai
There’s something about Xiu Mai that brings me straight back to my childhood—those weekdays after school in preschool when my mom and I would stop by Saigon Deli. The smell of warm, savory meatballs coated in a rich tomato sauce filled the air as we picked up our order. It was one of those comforting
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 lbs Fatty Ground Pork
- 1/2 lb Pork Fat
- 1 Small Jicama
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 stalks Green Onion (Whites Only)
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp MSG
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 Small Shallot
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 6 oz Tomato Sauce
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt and Pepper, To Taste
- Cornstarch Slurry (1 tsp Cornstarch Mixed With 1 tbsp Water)
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- Green Onions (Green Part Only)
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- 1
Prep the Ingredients:
- 2
Chop the green onions, separating the whites from the greens
- 3
Finely dice the shallot
- 4
Peel and dice the jicama, then salt it lightly and squeeze out excess water
- 5
Cut the pork fat into small pieces and blend into a paste
- 6
Make the Meatballs:
- 7
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, pork fat, jicama, garlic, and the whites of the green onion
- 8
Season with oyster sauce, MSG, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add cornstarch and mix well until fully combined
- 9
Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking and form the mixture into large meatballs
- 10
Steam the meatballs for 6-8 minutes until they are firm and cooked through
- 11
Make the Sauce:
- 12
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the minced shallots and garlic until fragrant
- 13
Pour in the tomato sauce and water, stirring to combine
- 14
Season with fish sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, salt, and pepper
- 15
Thicken the sauce by stirring in the cornstarch slurry
- 16
Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the steamed meatballs. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld
- 17
Finish by stirring in sesame oil for extra depth of flavor
- 18
Serve and Enjoy:
- 19
Transfer the xiu mai to a serving dish or bowl
- 20
Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of black pepper
- 21
Serve hot with crusty bánh mì on the side to soak up the delicious sauce