Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil  
• 250g chicken mince  
• 1 zucchini, grated 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tbsp ginger, finely minced 
• 1 ½ tbsp lemongrass, finely minced 
• 1 ½ tbsp coriander stalks, finely chopped 
• ½ tsp chili flakes 
• 1 pinch salt  
• 1 pinch white pepper 
• 1 tbsp salt reduced soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp kecap manis/sweet soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp fish sauce 
• ½ tbsp sesame seeds 
• 1 egg 
• ½ cup breadcrumbs  

• 5 carrots, thinly sliced 
• ½ cup water 
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar 
• ¼ cup white vinegar 
• 1 tbsp sugar 

• 1 tbsp kecap manis/sweet soy sauce 
• ½ tbsp soy sauce 
• ½ tbsp fish sauce 
• Sprinkle of chilli and sesame seeds 

• 4 cups rice OR 4 white bread rolls  
• Mayonnaise 
• 1 cucumber, sliced 
• Pickled carrots 
• 1 handful of coriander 
• 1 handful of mint  
• 2 small chillies (optional) 
• 1 pinch salt & pepper 

Method:

1. Pickled Carrots: Combine all pickling ingredients in a container, add thinly sliced carrots and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to using.
2. Meatballs: Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll mixture into small meatballs, about 1-2 inches in diameter. Heat pan over medium heat, add olive oil and cook meatballs in batches, turning occasionally, until they are browned on all sides and cooked through. This should take approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, place meatballs on an oiled oven tray and bake at 180ºC for approximately 15 minutes.
3. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Combine sesame seeds and chilli flakes in another small bowl.  Dip each meatball in the sauce and then sesame seeds and chilli mixture ensuring meatballs are evenly covered in both sauce and seeds. 
4. Serve meatballs in a white bread roll or on rice (cook as per packet instructions) with pickled carrots, sliced cucumber, coriander and mint leaves.