Change up the family meal with 2 delicious and appealing vegetable ball dishes: steamed meat sauce vegetable balls and fried cheese vegetable balls that are simple to make. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to make this tasty dish right away!
1. Vegetable balls with minced meat sauce
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Preparation
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetable balls with minced meat sauce Serves 3
Minced pork 400 gr Long beans 200 gr Carrot 200 gr Potato 200 gr Red bell pepper 30 gr Green onion 30 gr Ginger 10 gr Potato starch 3 tablespoons Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce 2 teaspoons Salt 1 teaspoon Sugar 2 teaspoons Filtered water 120 ml
How to choose fresh long beans
- Choose young, banana-colored pods, avoid buying old ones as they will be less sweet and have fewer nutrients.
- Gently press the long beans with your hand; if they feel crisp and fresh, they are good to buy. Avoid buying those that feel soft and wilted, as they have been stored for too long and are no longer tasty.
How to make Minced Meat Sauce Vegetable Balls
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the green beans with water, then soak them in a bowl of salted water for 10 minutes. After that, take them out, rinse with clean water, trim both ends, and cut into small pieces.
Peel the carrots and potatoes, wash them thoroughly, and then dice them. Wash the bell peppers and dice them.
Remove the roots and any damaged leaves from the green onions, wash them, and chop them. Peel the ginger and cut it into thin strips.
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Blanch the vegetables
Boil a pot of water on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil into the pot, and stir until the salt dissolves.
Wait for the water to boil, then add the green beans and blanch for 2 minutes, then remove and place them in a bowl of ice water.
Continue to add the potatoes and carrots and blanch for 2 minutes, then remove and place them in a bowl of cold water.
Note
- After preparing, if the potatoes are not cooked right away, soak them in a bowl of salted water to prevent them from browning.
- Only blanch the vegetables briefly to maintain their crispness and freshness, avoiding mushiness.
- After blanching, place the vegetables in a bowl of ice water to maintain their vibrant colors.
- Bell peppers cook very quickly, so they should not be blanched, as this will make them soft and unappetizing.
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Shaping vegetable balls
Take the blanched vegetables and put them into a bowl, then add 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour. Use chopsticks to mix well so that the tapioca flour coats the vegetables evenly.
Then, wearing plastic gloves, spread a thin layer of cooking oil on your hands, and use a spoon to scoop a portion of vegetables into your hand.
Shape the vegetable mixture into round, bite-sized, and attractive balls. Continue until all the mixture is used up.
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Steaming vegetable balls
Place a pot on the stove, put the vegetable balls in and steam them for 10 minutes, or you can use a steaming basket for easier steaming of the vegetables.
After steaming, take the vegetable balls out and place them in a deep dish or bowl according to your preference.
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Making minced meat sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, wait for the oil to heat up, then add the minced meat and stir-fry until it turns brown.
Continue to add 20g of green onions and 10g of ginger, stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce into the pan, stir evenly for 2 minutes.
After that, add 100 ml of filtered water, diced bell pepper, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 20 ml of water, stir evenly for about 2 minutes, season to taste, and turn off the stove.
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Final product
When serving, scoop the minced meat sauce over the steamed vegetable balls, garnish with green onions, a little chili, and pepper.
The vegetable balls with minced meat sauce, made with fresh steamed vegetables, retain their sweetness along with the rich and creamy meat sauce, making it very appealing!
2. Fried cheese vegetable balls
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Preparation
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Fried Cheese Vegetable Balls Serves 3
Mozzarella cheese 100 gr Cauliflower 200 gr Potatoes 3 pieces Carrot 1 piece Onion 1 piece Green bell pepper 1 piece Red bell pepper 1 piece Unsweetened fresh milk 20 ml Breadcrumbs 200 gr All-purpose flour 100 gr Oregano leaves 3 teaspoons Salt 1 teaspoon Sugar 1 teaspoon
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Cauliflower
- Cauliflower has a harvest season from mid-December to mid-April, so you should buy it during these months to get the freshest cauliflower.
- Choose cauliflower that is as bright white as possible, as this indicates freshness. Avoid buying cauliflower that is discolored or has black spots.
- Additionally, you should choose cauliflower that feels firm to the touch and is not wilted; if it feels heavy in your hand, it’s a good sign to buy. Avoid lightweight cauliflower as it may be spoiled.
Note
- You can buy mozzarella cheese at baking supply stores, supermarkets, or large food stores.
- If you have the time, you can also make mozzarella cheese at home to ensure its freshness and appeal.
See more: How to Make Mozzarella Cheese from Fresh Milk Simply
Tools required
Steamer pot, pan, blender, knife, bowl, cutting board,…
How to make Fried Cheese Vegetable Balls
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Prepare the vegetables
Cut the broccoli into small pieces, then soak in diluted salt water for 15 minutes to clean the dirt from the broccoli. Then rinse with clean water.
Peel the carrots and potatoes, wash them well. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, and slice the carrots about 2cm thick.
Wash the green and red bell peppers, and slice them about 1cm thick. Peel the onion, wash it, and cut it into wedges.
Cut the mozzarella cheese into small squares.
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Steam vegetables
Place a steaming pot on the stove, add the cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes to steam for 20 minutes.
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Blend the ingredients
Add the boiled vegetables and onion into a blender, blend until the ingredients are smooth.
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Mix the spices
Open the blender, add 2 teaspoons of oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 100g of all-purpose flour, and 20ml of unsweetened milk to the mixture.
Use a spatula to stir well so that the ingredients are evenly mixed together.
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Fried Vegetable Balls
Take a bowl, add the breadcrumbs and the remaining oregano leaves, and mix well.
Use a ladle to scoop a moderate amount of vegetables, then press a cheese ball into the center and dip it in the mixture of breadcrumbs that you just mixed.
Heat a pan on the stove and fry the vegetable balls that have been dipped in the breadcrumbs over medium heat until they are golden brown and the coating is crispy, then remove and place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
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Final Product
The fried vegetable balls are crispy on the outside, with a delightful blend of fresh vegetables inside.
You can serve them with chili sauce, ketchup mixed with mayonnaise for a delicious taste!
How to choose fresh and delicious vegetables
How to choose good potatoes
- Choose potatoes with smooth skin, heavy in hand, firm, and intact, as these are fresh potatoes and will taste good.
- Avoid choosing potatoes with wrinkled, soft skin. These potatoes have been stored for a long time, wilted, and have lost many nutrients, so they will not taste good.
- Do not choose potatoes with small spots on the skin, signs of pests, scratches, black eyes that are rotten or leaking.
- Be careful not to choose potatoes that have turned green or sprouted because sprouted potatoes are very toxic and harmful to health if consumed.
How to choose good bell peppers
- To select good bell peppers, choose those with a shiny, smooth, thick skin, still have the stem tightly attached to the body, feel heavy in hand, and have bright colors. These will be fresh and nutrient-rich bell peppers.
- Avoid purchasing bell peppers that are soft and mushy, with dark spots, dull colors, and cracks as these are spoiled and lack many nutrients.
- There are two types of bell peppers: male and female. If the tail of the fruit splits into 4, it is female; if it splits into 3, it is male. The female fruit usually has a sweet taste, often eaten raw, while the male fruit is sour and used for cooking dishes like stir-fried dishes, grilled dishes,…
How to choose good carrots
- Choose carrots with smooth skin, bright colors, and deep orange. When pressed, they should still be firm, not crushed, and the tops should be fresh as they help the flavor of the carrots last longer.
- It’s best to choose carrots that are slender, of moderate size, with leaves still attached, and feel firm, not too soft. Avoid choosing carrots that are bruised, have cracks, or missing a corner.
See more
The above is 2 delicious and attractive ways to make vegetable balls with simple preparation methods. Let’s make this dish to treat the family, wishing you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels: Cooky TV and Feedy VN.
