By James and I have been seeing each other for three weeks. The frequency is increasing naturally: Tuesday dinner at his place, Thursday dinner at mine, Saturday TBD. Our relationship exists primarily in kitchens.
I told Sujin. She said, "Finally." I told Daniel. He said, "Does he eat kimchi?" I said, "From the jar." Daniel said, "Keeper." I have not told Karen yet — three weeks is early and introducing a man to the Parks is not casual.
This week James and I took a Korean-Taiwanese fusion cooking class at a kitchen studio in Ballard. We made kimchi mandu with Taiwanese five-spice filling and scallion pancakes with Korean chili oil. The fusion was natural — Korean and Taiwanese ingredients complementing each other, our hands moving in a rhythm that was new but felt practiced.
James held up a perfectly crimped mandu and said, "This is us." He said it lightly, with his dry humor. But he was not joking. Neither was I. A mandu. Korean and Taiwanese. Filled with everything, crimped shut, holding.
Dr. Yoon said, "The bridge you built is holding another person now." Yes. The bridge is holding James. The floor is solid. I trust it.
We didn’t cook at home that night — the class had left us full and a little giddy — but a few days later I found myself back in my kitchen, chasing that same sweet-savory feeling, the one where everything comes together faster than you expect and tastes like it was always supposed to be that way. These Asian glazed meatballs aren’t mandu, but they carry the same spirit: a sticky, lacquered glaze that pulls familiar ingredients into something that just holds. I made them on a Thursday, which is now his night.
Easy Asian Glazed Meatballs
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork (or ground beef)
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the glaze:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it.
- Mix meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, panko, egg, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — do not overwork.
- Shape and bake. Roll mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 20 meatballs) and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.
- Make the glaze. While meatballs bake, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the glaze thickens and turns glossy. Remove from heat.
- Glaze and serve. Transfer baked meatballs to a bowl or skillet, pour the glaze over, and toss gently to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over steamed rice or with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 820mg