Bento Box Meatballs With Sweet and Sour Sauce

Name: Bento Box Meatballs With Sweet and Sour Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 25-30 meatballs
Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken or 1 lb ground beef; 1 egg (alternative is 1/2 tsp starch & 1/2 tsp water); 1/2 cup onion, chopped; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sake; 1 tablespoon ketchup; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon starch (mixed with 1 tsp water); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for stir fry)

Submitted by Member 610488

"This recipe is for a bento box lunch that is a favorite among children at a local Japanese restaurant. Recipe has sake but the alcohol cooks out during cooking."

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Ready In:: 35mins
Ingredients:: 11
Yields:: 25-30 meatballs

ingredients

1 lb ground chicken or 1 lb ground beef
1 egg (alternative is 1/2 tsp starch & 1/2 tsp water)
¹⁄₂ cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon starch (mixed with 1 tsp water)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for stir fry)

directions

Combine ground meat, beaten egg and onion in a large ball and mix well. For children who have egg allergies, use pre-mixed 1/2 tsp starch and 1/2 tsp water to replace the egg. Form into bite-size balls.
In a small bowl, mix sugar, soy sauce, sake, ketchup, vinegar and water to make sauce.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in meatballs and cook about 5 minutes until outside is brown. Remove excess oil using paper towel, then add the sauce. Cook about 5 minutes more until the liquid is almost gone. Make sure meat is well-done.
Add pre-mixed starch and water to make the leftover sauce thicker.
Meatballs can be kept frozen without changing the texture or flavor. Cook many at once, freeze and defrost a small portion each morning!