Turkey Meatballs with Sweet and Salty Dunk Sauce

Step 1

Put 1 teaspoon garlic, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, the lime juice, carrot, sugar, sliced green onion, and jalapeño into a medium bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in water. Taste and adjust seasonings until sauce is nicely balanced between sweet, salty, tangy, and slightly spicy. Set aside, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Step 2

Pour 1 tablespoon oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped green onions and remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and cook until soft and fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely. Set frying pan aside to use in step 5.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 4

Crumble turkey into a large bowl. Distribute cooked green onion mixture, panko, chopped cilantro, pineapple, and red pepper over turkey. Sprinkle with sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. With clean hands, gently mix all ingredients until seasonings are well distributed.

Step 5

Set the large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a little oil. Scoop out a small portion of turkey and add to pan. Fry until no longer pink in the center, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adjust the seasonings in the raw meat mixture if needed, and mix again.

Step 6

Oil 2 sheet pans. Scoop out scant 1-oz. (2-tablespoon) portions of turkey mixture with an ice cream scoop or measuring spoon. Roll into smooth balls and arrange on pans, evenly spaced. (If making meatballs ahead, freeze until firm, pile into a freezer bag, and freeze up to 1 month. Bake them frozen, but add at least another 10 minutes to the baking time.)

Step 7

Bake meatballs until browned on underside, about 10 minutes. Turn meatballs over, then continue to bake until no longer pink in center, about 5 more minutes.

Step 8

Arrange meatballs on a platter. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with sauce on the side for dunking. Chill any leftover meatballs in an airtight container up to 3 days; to reheat, warm on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven until hot, about 10 minutes.