How do I make Gingery Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

 Gingery Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Time: 30 minutes 

The majority of meatballs in tomato sauce are made with canned tomatoes and are often served over pasta. However, the fresh tomatoes used in this dish are only quickly cooked to make it lighter and brighter. Ginger, cilantro, lime juice, and a dash of cumin are also included. It's the ideal spot to use up those summer tomatoes that are too ripe, but it also tastes great with tomatoes that are just ripe. Use any ground meat you'd like in this recipe, including pork, beef, turkey, chicken, lamb, or vegan meat. After that, serve it with rice or crusty bread to sop up all of the zingy, fragrant sauce.

INGREDIENTS

Yield:

4 servings

2tablespoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger

3garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1teaspoon ground cumin, more for serving

1teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more as needed

½teaspoon ground coriander

1pound ground pork (or turkey, chicken, beef, lamb or vegan meat)

½cup panko bread crumbs (or use plain)

2tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, more for serving

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2cups diced fresh ripe or overripe tomatoes

1teaspoon fish sauce or soy sauce

4scallions, thinly sliced

1lime, halved / mint leaf 

PREPARATION 

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon ginger, the garlic, cumin, salt and coriander. Add pork, panko and cilantro. Using your hands, gently mix everything together, making sure not to overwork the mixture. (Otherwise, the meatballs get tough.) Form into 1¼-inch balls.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium-high, then add the oil and let it heat up until it thins out. Add meatballs in one layer. Cook, turning and shaking the pan, until meatballs are browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Move meatballs to one side of the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon ginger to the empty side of the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, fish sauce and a pinch of salt to the empty side of the pan. When tomatoes are simmering, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and let cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at the center, about 5 to 8 minutes longer.

Step 4

Uncover the pan. Mix the scallions into the sauce. Squeeze lime juice all over everything, then stir together. Taste, and add salt and lime juice as needed. Serve the meatballs sprinkled with more cumin and topped with cilantro.