Xiu Mai ( Vietnamese Meatballs with Tomato sauce)

Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 90min- 120min

INGREDIENTS:

Meatballs:

• 2 lbs (908g) ground pork
• 2 large egg
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup (125ml) minced shallot
• 1/2 cup (125ml) minced jicama
• 4 tablespoon (60ml) cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon  (15ml) fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) whole black pepper

Tomato sauce:

• 1 cup (250ml) water
• 2 tablespoon (30ml) sugar
• 1 teaspoon ( 5ml) salt
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce
  
• 16 ounces (475ml) canned diced tomato
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup ( 250ml) shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon ( 5ml) black pepper
• 4 tablespoon (60ml) tomato paste

• Vietnamese baguette, french baguette or jasmine rice
• Cuccumber
• cilantro 
• Red Chili Sauce ( The Phamily Table)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre Heat oven to 350F
2. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Use your hands to form meat balls into 2 inch balls. Lay onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. 
3. Baked meatballs for 25 min. remove and cool
4. In a pot add oil and saute shallot and garlic( no colour) on low heat. Cook for 10 min. Add tomato paste and mix, add remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 min. Add meatballs, and simmer for 30 min.
5. To serve, add meatballs between sliced baguette, spoon tomato sauce. Add sliced cucumber, cilantro and Red Chili Sauce.

Notes:
You can eat the Xiu mai ( meatballs) with a side of rice or baguette on the side to dip.