EASY-TO-MAKE ORIENTAL Christmas meatballs

Meatballs are delicious to eat and easy to make. During this festive season, time is of essence as you try to handle the long list of chores waiting for you. Thus meatballs are the prefect go-to snack or meal as they are easy to prepare. Make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them, then you can have an easy time cooking them.

Meatballs ingredients:

455g lean ground beef
1 large egg
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (substitute with 1⁄4 beef cube diluted in hot water)
1⁄4 cup finely chopped onion 1⁄2 cup sour cream 1/3 cup breadcrumbs 3⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. pepper
Sweet and sour sauce

Ingredients:

2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch 2 tsp. mustard 1 cup pineapple juice 1⁄2 cup white vinegar 1⁄2 cup ketchup 1⁄2 cup water 1⁄2 cup soy sauce

Preparation

1. For your meatballs, measure all ingredients into a bowl and mix them well. Shape the meat into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake in 170 oven for 15 minutes.

2. When it comes to making the sweet and sour sauce, stir brown sugar, cornstarch and mustard powder together in a saucepan. Next, stir in the pineapple juice and add vinegar, ketchup, water and soy sauce. Heat and stir until it boils and thickens.

3. Sauce can be served separately for dipping or can be poured over meatballs to serve from chafing dish. You can also insert a toothpick in each meatball if it’s a finger food and then serve with sauce.

Kitchen tip:

Christmas marks the end of yet another year. Have you ever sat down to think about how much dirt has accumulated behind that fridge that keeps your food cool and safe from all the germs, and that could spell disaster to your entire family? It’s time you pull it forward and clean the back area. This also goes for the oven and any other equipment if it is not in-built.

Kitchen Safety:

Kenyans love their Christmas air smelling of nyama choma. If you are going to do some barbecue, do not do it inside the house. Even if you are using the charcoal jiko to cook your meals, do not leave it lit when you go to sleep. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent killer, don’t become a victim.
Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Published in December 2015