Lloyd didn’t really know what to make of this meal.  When I told him we were having meatballs for dinner, I neglected to add that they were Asian-inspired.  I’m not sure if this can be considered “fusion,” but whatever it is, it works.  You can imagination his confusion when I served them over a bed of rice.  After a few puzzled glances at his plate Lloyd dug in. After his first bite, all signs of skepticism disappeared.  That’s not to say I didn’t have to answer a slew of questions and listen to his dinner commentary.

“Why are there meatballs in my rice?” 

“Why do my meatballs taste like Chinese food?”

“Where is the sauce?  That’s not spaghetti sauce!” 

“I’m confused.”  (Clearly.)

“What are these green things in my rice?  Can I eat them?” 

“Nice! I got three in that one.  Last time I got two!”

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Sesame Lime Dipping Sauce

Serves 4

Print this recipe!

Slightly adapted from Gina’s Skinny Recipes as seen on Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup panko crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. water (more if needed to dilute)
• 1 chopped fresh scallion

Rice

• 1 bag brown rice
• splash of sesame oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup edamame (I used whole pods)
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
2. Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, cilantro, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, and 2 tsp. oil and mix with your hands until combined well.
3. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
4. For the dipping sauce, mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and oil  in a bowl.  Add scallions.  Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.
5. For the rice, prepare according to package’s instructions.  Once heated through, sauté with a splash of sesame oil. 
6. Add edamame (you can shell it if you prefer) as well as soy sauce, ginger powder, and garlic powder.
7. Add the chicken broth and mix well.  Simmer until the mixture is absorbed. 
8. Whisk one egg, and make a well in the middle of your rice mixture.  Cook into rice mix and stir. 
9. Let cool and serve meatballs over a bed of rice, with additional sauce, if desired. 

These may not be the most photogenic ‘balls on the block (That’s what she said!) but they were an unexpected dinner treat: slightly crunchy on the outside, and the inside was bursting with the bright, sharp cilantro, the zippy ginger, and an added bite from the scallions.  The sauce was mild, but the tangy lime really shined through, and helped pull together all the Asian flavors. This was my first time adding an egg to my rice and in addition to packing some extra protein, it gave such an amazing texture to the entire dish.  As with any “stir fry” dish, you can add whatever veggies you have on hand. I took another cue from Kristin and added some edamame pods for color and taste.

Asian meatballs: don’t knock ‘em ‘til you try ‘em.