Want something a little bit different for dinner? Then turn your head to the Orient. Our Chinese 5 Spice bursts with the heady perfume of cinnamon, fennel, ginger, star anise, cloves and cardamom. All in perfect balance, it’s a blend that transforms everyday ingredients into an exotic treat. With winter approaching we’re increasingly focusing on warm, comforting meals – meals that can be made fast and satisfy deeply. Like these Chinese 5 spice meatballs with veggie stir fry and saucy noodles.
To make the Chinese 5 spice meatballs, mix all the ingredients together. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop up level measures of the mince mix and roll them into small meatballs. Fry them off in a non-stick pan with a bit off vegetable oil until golden and cooked through. Cover meatballs to keep them warm and set aside. Wipe the same pan clean and add the sesame oil. Add the peppers and sugarsnap peas or mange tout and fry over high heat for a few minutes until the veggies just start softening. Then add the pack choi leaves or spinach and fry until they are just wilted through. Add veggies to the meatballs and cover to keep warm. To make the saucy noodles, add the sesame oil to the pan you used for the veggies and fry the spring onions, ginger, garlic and chilli (if using) over medium heat for a minute. Add the hoisin sauce and the oyster sauce and stir in the cornflour slurry. Turn the heat right down and let it bubble for a minute or two until the sauce starts thickening. Now tumble the cooked noodles into the sauce and stir to thoroughly coat the noodles with the sauce. Dish up the noodles topped with the veggies and the meatballs. Garnish with a few extra sprigs of coriander and dig in.
• Thread the meatballs onto small skewers and serve them with a sweet chilli dipping sauce as a lovely snack with drinks. • Finely shred red cabbage, finely slice spring onion and grate a carrot. Stuff pita pockets with cabbage, carrot, spring onions, coriander leaves and Chinese 5 spice meatballs. Drizzle over sweet chilli sauce. • Watching the carbs? Then wrap these meatballs in big iceberg lettuce leaves along with spring onion, coriander and thin batons of cucumber. Dollop on some hoisin sauce, roll to close and it’s time to feast on a flavour-packed, almost zero carb lettuce wrap!
Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley. Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za