Gochujang-glazed pork meatballs with pickled mooli & carrot recipe | Good Food

Units:

400g pork mince
1 tbsp lemongrass paste
1 tbsp garlic & ginger paste
15g chives
finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp runny honey
25g salted butter
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

For the pickles

1 (about 350g) mooli
thinly sliced into half-moons (use a mandoline, if you have one)
2 (about 170g) carrots
thinly sliced into half-moons (use a mandoline, if you have one)
300ml white wine vinegar
150g caster sugar
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns

To serve

2 Little Gem or round lettuces
leaves separated to make cups
15g mint, coriander or basil
leaves picked

Method

step 1
First, make the pickles. Pack the sliced mooli and carrots into a large, sterilised jar (see tip). Put 100ml water, the vinegar, sugar, fennel seeds, peppercorns and 1½ tsp fine sea salt in a medium saucepan. Warm over a low heat to gently dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer. Pour the mixture into the jar to cover the veg. Leave to cool completely, then screw the lid on the jar and keep chilled overnight.
step 2
Combine the pork mince, lemongrass and garlic & ginger pastes and the chives in a large bowl. Season well and mix thoroughly using your hands, then roll into about 20 x 30g meatballs – if you like, make one meatball and fry until cooked through, then taste for seasoning before rolling the rest of the meatballs out.
step 3
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 2-3 mins on each side, stirring until golden brown all over. Meanwhile, mix the gochujang, honey, butter and vinegar together in a bowl (it might look lumpy, but it will melt together in the pan). Pour the mixture into the pan of meatballs and cook for 4-5 mins over a medium heat, tossing to coat.
step 4
Arrange the lettuce cups on a serving platter, fill with the meatballs and pickled veg, then scatter over the fresh herbs.