Step 1

In a food processor, combine the ginger, garlic, chili peppers, scallions, and shallot and pulse until minced. Add half the minced aromatics to a large bowl (reserve the remaining half of aromatics for the sauce).

Step 2

To the bowl of aromatics, add the pork, egg, sesame oil, and soy sauce and use your hands to mix all the ingredients together. Note: At this point, you can fry up a dime-sized piece of the mixture to taste for flavor. Adjust the salt and pepper as necessary.

Step 3

Pour the panko over the mixture and gently work it in with your hands. Do not over-mix the meat.

Step 4

Roll the mixture into balls, about 1” in diameter and transfer to a plate.

Step 5

Heat the neutral cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add the meatballs, cooking in batches if necessary, for 3-4 minutes per side until well-browned all over and cooked through. They are quite small, so they will cook up quickly! Transfer to a bowl (or crockpot, if taking to an event) and keep warm.

Step 6

In a saucepan, heat the 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil over medium heat. Add the remaining half of the minced aromatics and cook, stirring often, for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.

Step 7

Add the sake and bring to a boil. Next, add the soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and sesame oil and whisk to combine. Bring to a steady boil for 10 minutes until reduced and thickened.

Step 8

Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the mixture and transfer to a bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix until a slurry is formed. Return the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat for an additional 5 minutes until very thick. Turn off the heat.

Step 9

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and toss to combine. At this point, you can either turn your crockpot to the warm setting to keep the meatballs warm or you can serve as-is! You may also wish to bake the meatball briefly, at 375ºF, for about 15-20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken up even more!

Step 10

Right before serving, sprinkle the meatballs with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Enjoy!