Ginger pork balls

"One of my favourite dishes that Mum used to make for Lunar New Year is called yukwonjeon. It's basically beef and pork patties coated in egg. I decided to create a different version of this recipe using pork with a hint of ginger and a spicy dipping sauce." Chung Jae Lee, Seoul Food

Credit: Alan Benson

• makes

  30-35

• prep

  40 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 3 brown onions
• 1 kg pork mince
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 100 ml white wine or soju (see Note)
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp Korean beef stock (see Note)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp Korean soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 20 g potato starch, plus extra potato starch for rolling
• 1 litre cooking oil

Tempura batter

• 1 cup tempura powder
• 3 cups iced water

Resting time 10 minutes

Instructions

Peel and finely dice the onions, then place in a mixing bowl. Add the pork mince, ginger and garlic and, using your hands, combine the ingredients. 

Place the white wine (or soju, if preferred), pepper, beef stock, sugar, soy sauce and egg in a blender and mix together to form a juice.

Add the juice and potato starch to the pork mixture. Using your hands, thoroughly combine the ingredients for around 5 minutes. Set aside for 10 minutes to rest.

Sprinkle the reserved potato starch onto a tray, ensuring it is thick enough to act as a coating.

Roll the pork mixture into balls. It should yield 30-35 golf ball-sized spheres (approximately 30 g each). Next, coat the balls in potato starch and set aside.

In a large fry pan or wok, heat the oil to a temperature between 160ºC and 180ºC. Fry the balls in batches. They will float to the top once cooked. Drain the balls on baking paper or in a colander. Keep oil between 160ºC and 180ºC.

Put the tempura powder into a bowl. Add the balls, coat with powder and set aside. Once complete, add iced water to the remaining tempura powder and combine to form a batter. 

To test if the temperature is correct, drop a piece of tempura batter into the oil. If the batter rises to the surface quickly and is fluffy in appearance, the oil is ready. Dip the balls into the tempura batter and, working in batches, fry for a second time. The balls will turn a dark brown colour when ready. At this point, remove from oil, drain and serve.   

Note

• Soju is a sake-like spirit available from Korean grocers. 

• Korean beef stock is available from Asian grocers.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’Brien. Food preparation by Suresh Watson. Recipe courtesy of Chung Jae Lee of Seoul Food, Darwin. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.