1Thin slice or mince Napa cabbage and place it in a small mixing bowl.
2Add a pinch of kosher salt to the cabbage and work it in, then set aside.
3Combine ground pork, garlic cloves, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar (or white distilled vinegar), sesame oil, black pepper, thin sliced green onion (saving some for garnish), one egg, and corn starch.
4Squeeze all the water out of the cabbage.
5Form the mixture into small balls.
6Make the drizzle by combining mayo, soy sauce, and the solids from chili crunch oil.
7Optionally, add a splash of rice or white distilled vinegar to thin and brighten the drizzle.
8Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat.
9Gently drop the meatballs into the hot oil, ensuring enough space between them.
10Once the meatballs have color on one side, flip them to the other side.
11After both sides have color (total cook time 4-5 minutes), tilt the pan to pool excess fat and remove it with a paper towel.
12Drape one wonton wrapper over each meatball.
13Add about a quarter cup of water to the pan and quickly cover it.
14After a few more minutes, the wonton wrappers will cling to the meatballs and turn golden brown where they touch the pan.
15Serve the meatballs with the spicy umami mayo drizzle, thin sliced green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.
Ingredients
thin sliced or minced Napa cabbage
pinch kosher salt
1 pound ground pork
2 garlic cloves
ginger
soy sauce
splash rice vinegar
sesame oil
black pepper
thin sliced green onion
1 egg
corn starch
mayo
chili crunch oil solids
MSG
oil
wonton wrappers
0.25 cup water
toasted sesame seeds
Equipment
small mixing bowlpanpaper towelfork
Tips
Corn starch helps ground pork retain moisture as it cooks.
Squeezing salted cabbage removes water and changes its texture.
Keep meatballs small for golden brown wonton wrapper corners.
Leave space between meatballs in the pan.
Cook meatballs until colored on both sides, about 4-5 minutes.
Use a paper towel to remove excess fat from the pan.
Wonton wrappers can be found in the refrigerated produce section.