Hi Neighbors! So what makes meatballs? It's hard to define. In the West, we usually think of them as being formed from ground or minced meat, often mixed with bread or milk. But in East Asia, there is a tradition, which spread from China, of using minced meat into a paste. Let's discuss meatballs from around the world.
Köttbullar
Usually made with a mixture of pork and beef, Swedish meatballs are deep-fried and often, though not always, coated in a white sauce made with milk, flour and stock. No one recipe is absolute, but one thing is for sure: Don't forget the lingonberry jam or boiled potatoes.
Bitterballen
A savory and wildly popular dish now served as part of a snack plate in bars, bitterballen originated as a popular appetizer in rural Dutch homes. The gravy itself is made by cooking meat with broth and spices, resulting in a smooth textured ragout. Crunchy on the outside, rich and tender on the inside.
Italian-American Meatballs
tender meat, mixed with breadcrumbs, spices, is an American classic. They came from Italian immigrants in New York, who, the story goes, began serving them over spaghetti with tomato sauce to disguise the meager portions. But as their richness increases, the size of the meatballs balloons and the tomato sauce becomes thicker. They are still served today over spaghetti, a basic dish of Italian-American cuisine.
Lion's Head
Originally from Jiangsu province, eastern China, lion's head are large, tender meatballs made with a mixture of fatty pork and chestnuts. They are often served with cabbage. Texturally, they are meant to be soft and tender, unlike chewy meatballs. Condiments include ginger, rice wine, and sesame oil, but recipes vary from kitchen to kitchen. However, they tend to be cooked by stewing or simmering in soups. Some cooks also use variations of meatballs that are fried and then steamed or boiled for serving.
Tsukune
Different from their neighbors, the Japanese replace the soft texture of the Chinese beef balls with a chewy dough that has a smoky taste from a good roast. The ground chicken, which is seasoned and thickened with starch, is cooked over charcoal in a yakitori style and tossed with tare, a sweet soy sauce that gives these meatballs their shine.
Bakso
Bakso are a type of meat ball commonly found in Indonesian cuisine. Meatballs are generally made from a mixture of ground beef and tapioca flour, but there are also meatballs made from chicken, fish, or shrimp and even buffalo meat.
Those are the meatballs from around the world. So Neighbors? Interested in trying quality homemade food from Kokikan? There's no need to be afraid! because with Kokikan you can try home-cooked food around you which of course has a varied taste. Don't forget to comment and share this article. To read more Articles visit our Blog and stay tuned on our Social Media Instagram and Twitter. Cheers Neighbors!
