Thai Balls

INGREDIENTS

For meatballs:

 2 Tbsp olive oil

 1 lb ground pork

 1 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined, and roughly chopped

 2 large eggs

 ¾ cup fresh thai basil(or italian basil), roughly chopped

 ¾ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

 ½ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

 2 thai chiles, shelled, deveined, and roughly chopped stemmed, seeded, and minced

 ½ cup bread crumbs

 2 Tbsp minced lemongrass (or lemongrass paste)

 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

 2 garlic cloves, minced

 Juice of 1 lime

 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

 2 Tbsp fish sauce

For garnish:

 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce

 2 large carrots, julienned or grated

 10 fresh Thai basil (or Italian basil) leaves, roughly chopped

 ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (including stems)

 10 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

 ¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped

 1 tsp sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 x 13- inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Combine the ground pork, shrimp, eggs, basil, cilantro, mint, chiles, bread crumbs, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and fish sauce in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, golf ball–size meatballs (about 1½ inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.

Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.

Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish.

Meanwhile, place the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, carrots, basil, cilantro, mint, peanuts, and sesame seeds in a bowl and toss to combine.

Spoon the garnish over the top of the meatballs and serve.