Gogi wanja jorim (glazed meatballs)

In this recipe, meatballs are braised in a soy sauce-based sweet and savory sauce (jorim jang) commonly used in Korean cooking. For the meatballs, I like to use a mixture of beef and pork. You can use all beef or all pork depending on your preferences. 

Mushrooms, onions and scallions add a lot to the flavor and texture of the meatballs without being overpowering. Make sure to take the time to finely chop the ingredients for a smoother texture. Then your children will never know there are mushrooms and onions in their meatballs. These meatballs are very tender and packed with lots of great flavors!

Makes about 30-32 meatballs

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

● 250 grams ground beef

● 250 grams ground pork

● 5-6 fresh shiitake (or any)

mushroom caps, finely chopped

● 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

● 2 scallions, finely chopped

● 1 egg yolk

● 2 tablespoons corn starch (more for dredging)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 2 teaspoons minced garlic

● 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

● Salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and pepper to taste

For the sauce (jorim jang):

● 3 tablespoons soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sugar

● 2 tablespoons corn syrup

● 3 tablespoons rice wine (or mirim)

● 3 tablespoons water

● 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

● 2 pieces thinly sliced ginger

Optional garnish:

Copped peanuts or pine nuts

Combine all the meatball ingredients well by hand until evenly blended.

Shape the mixture into about 3-centimeter balls. Dredge the meatballs in the cornstarch or flour to lightly coat.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs to the pan. Turning as necessary, fry until all sides are golden brown but not cooked through, 5-7 minutes. The meatballs will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Add all the sauce ingredients to another pan. Boil over medium heat until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the sauce becomes a thick glaze, turning to coat evenly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the optional garnish. Serve warm with your choice of vegetables.

See more recipes at www.koreanbapsang.com.

By Ro Hyo-sun