Gretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Meatballs are made in countries across the globe and are widely loved. They’re often bite-sized — though they also can be rather large, most notably those Chinese “lion’s head” meatballs — and popular with kids, who love food that can be popped into their mouths. Some say they were first made in Persia (where they are called kofta) and then spread to other regions.
Wherever it started, the tradition of mixing small amounts of minced meat with breadcrumbs, rice, potatoes, cheese or eggs has been a hit with home cooks for generations. Whether you fry or bake meatballs depends on where you live, as well as what herbs and spices are used to make them. These Southeast Asian-style pork meatballs from Yotam Ottolenghi’s latest cookbook “Ottolenghi Comfort” (Ten Speed Press, $38) get much of their flavor from umami-rich fish sauce, a condiment widely used in Vietnamese cooking.
Beefed up with leftover cooked rice, the mix also gets an aromatic boost from fresh mint and finely chopped cilantro stems along with garlic and minced shallot. But what really sets them apart is the bright-red, totally addictive homemade nuoc cham dipping sauce that gets poured on top. Also used to dress fresh salads, spring rolls and noodle bowls throughout Asia, the pungent condiment is made by crushing two types of red chile with a pestle in a mortar along with sugar, lime juice and fish sauce.
It’s a one-two punch for home cooks: In additi.