Ginger and Honey Festive Meatballs

Cantonese cooking calls for plenty of fresh root ginger, which imparts a delicate flavour to many different dishes. But when we want to achieve a bolder gingery punch we always turn to versatile ground ginger. 

Our ginger and honey meatballs pack a proper ginger kick, and they’re perfect for Christmas with their sticky honey glaze and deeply warming aroma. Serve them as a side to the main event, or pop them onto cocktail sticks for the perfect festive party canape.   

Serves 12 as a side, or makes 36 canapes

Meatballs
- 500g ground pork
- 50g dried breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (optional)
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 egg
 
Sauce
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 100ml water
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp worcester sauce        
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1½ tsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Chopped coriander, for garnish

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together to achieve a paste-like texture.

Using wet hands, shape the mixture into balls the size of large marbles. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, at least 2cm apart.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 180 °C degrees. Bake for 20 minutes.

Prepare the sauce by firstly frying the ground ginger, chilli flakes and garlic in the vegetable oil.

Combine the rest of the sauce ingredients in a bowl, pour into the frying pan and stir as it comes to a boil and thickens

When the meatballs are cooked, transfer to them frying pan and coat them in the sticky sauce. Stir through the coriander just before serving.