Crispy & Chewy Seaweed and Pork Balls
Crispy & Chewy Seaweed and Pork Balls
Seasonal Delicacy! The Perfect Harmony of Seaweed and Pork: Making Seaweed Pork Balls Your Kids Will Love
While I enjoy seaweed soup (tteokguk), my children sometimes find the texture of seaweed a bit off-putting, describing it as ‘like hair’! Children tend to judge food by its appearance first, so a visual hurdle can lead to rejection. That’s why I created this recipe to sneak nutrient-rich seaweed, excellent for growing bones, into their diet without them noticing. By mixing it with their favorite pork and shaping them into cute little balls, they mistake them for meatballs and gobble them up! Introducing these delightful freeze-dried seaweed balls that my kids absolutely adore.
Main Ingredients- Freeze-dried seaweed
- Ground pork
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Black pepper
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs
- All-purpose flour
- Frying oil
- Ketchup (for serving)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork and freeze-dried seaweed. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and sugar for flavor. (For an even richer taste, you can add minced garlic and ginger. While I’m making them plain today, finely chopped onion, carrots, or even spicy peppers can add a wonderful dimension.)
Step 2
Using your hands, crumble the freeze-dried seaweed into small pieces, ensuring there are no large clumps. Mix thoroughly with the pork and seasonings, kneading slightly to create a cohesive mixture. It’s important to break down the seaweed well so it integrates smoothly.
Step 3
Once your seaweed and pork mixture is ready, prepare for coating. Place all-purpose flour on one shallow plate, beat the eggs to create an egg wash in another, and have a generous amount of panko breadcrumbs ready on a third plate.
Step 4
Take spoonfuls of the pork and seaweed mixture and shape them into bite-sized balls, or into your desired shape. Rolling them into neat spheres is easy and appealing for children.
Step 5
First, roll each shaped ball evenly in the all-purpose flour, ensuring a thin, even coating. Make sure there are no dry spots for the next layer to adhere properly. (Feel free to experiment with other flours like tempura flour, pancake mix, or rice flour for a crispier texture.)
Step 6
Using a fork, gently lift the floured pork balls and dip them into the beaten egg wash. Coating them with a fork prevents your hands from getting messy, unlike handling them directly, and ensures a clean application of the egg wash.
Step 7
Carefully transfer the egg-washed balls from the fork directly onto the plate of panko breadcrumbs. Gently roll them around to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere evenly and thoroughly to all sides. Coating generously with panko will result in a delightfully crispy exterior.
Step 8
After coating the balls with flour, egg, and panko, let them rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the coating to adhere better to the mixture, preventing it from falling off during frying.
Step 9
Heat a generous amount of frying oil in a pan over medium heat. To test the temperature, drop a pinch of panko into the oil; if it immediately floats to the surface, the oil is ready. Carefully add the prepared seaweed pork balls and fry for about 3-4 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and crispy. Since they are made with ground meat, they cook quickly! Drain the fried balls on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, like ketchup.
