Course : Mains | Cuisine: Korean | Servings : 2 persons | Cook Time : 30 mins
Korean-Style Turkey Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
Korean BBQ flavours have taken the UK food scene by storm and for very good reason. The combination of sweet, spicy, smoky and umami in a single dish is something that keeps people coming back time and again. Gochujang, the deep red fermented chilli paste that sits at the heart of Korean cooking, has gone from specialist ingredient to supermarket staple in the space of just a few years, and it is not hard to see why.
We wanted to take those bold, brilliant flavours and pair them with something that might surprise you: our premium certified turkey meatballs. Lower in fat than traditional beef, made from 100% whole muscle turkey sourced from a single fully integrated farm, and manufactured without the use of antibiotics, they are the kind of quality ingredient that carries bold flavours brilliantly without getting lost in them.
This recipe brings together a sticky gochujang glaze, a peachy spicy sesame mayo with a gentle lime kick, silky noodles and a scattering of sesame seeds and spring onion for a dish that looks as incredible as it tastes. It works equally well as a weeknight dinner, a sharing plate for a gathering or a foodservice menu centrepiece that will stop a customer in their tracks.
Bold. Sticky. Absolutely worth it.
Ingredients
- 500g Riverside Foods halal certified turkey meatballs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the gochujang glaze
- 3 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (cornflour slurry)
For the spicy sesame mayo
- 4 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp gochujang paste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
For the noodles
- 300g rice
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
To serve
- 3 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- sliced cucumber
- kimchi
Method
Step 1 — Make the spicy sesame mayo
Combine the Japanese mayonnaise, gochujang paste, lime juice, toasted sesame oil and honey in a small bowl. Whisk together until completely smooth. The sauce should be a warm peachy blush colour — this is the natural result of the gochujang combining with the pale mayo and the citrus. Taste and adjust the lime juice or gochujang to your preference. Set aside.
Step 2 — Cook the meatballs
Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the Riverside Foods turkey meatballs and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside briefly, keeping the pan on the heat.
Step 3 — Make the gochujang glaze
In the same pan, combine the gochujang paste, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger and water. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Add the cornflour slurry and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the glaze thickens to a sticky, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Step 4 — Glaze the meatballs
Return the cooked meatballs to the pan and toss gently in the gochujang glaze until every meatball is thoroughly coated in the sticky, glossy sauce. Keep the heat low and turn the meatballs carefully to avoid breaking them. Remove from the heat.
Step 5 — Cook the rice
Cook the rice. Drain well and drizzle with the toasted sesame oil and soy sauce to add flavour. Top with sliced cucumber and kimchi for an authentic kick of spice.
