Grilled Spicy Pork Meatballs with Nuoc Cham

• servings: 20 items

Ingredients

1 2" piece fresh ginger

5 garlic cloves, divided

2 lb. ground pork

2 tsp. kosher salt

½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

¼ cup plus 2 tsp. hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)

4 Tbsp. fish sauce, divided

4 tsp. sugar, divided

½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grill

Twenty 8" metal or wooden skewers

Directions

If you’re using wooden skewers, soak in water 30 minutes.

Finely grate ginger and 4 garlic cloves into a medium bowl. Add pork, salt, ½ cup cilantro, ¼ cup chili paste, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, and 2 tsp. sugar and mix well with your hands to combine.

Form pork mixture into 20 oblong (football-ish) balls. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and chill at least 15 minutes and up to 8 hours.

Meanwhile, whisk lime juice and remaining 1 Tbsp. cilantro, 2 tsp. chili paste, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 tsp. sugar, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until combined. Finely grate remaining garlic clove into nuoc cham and stir to combine.

Prepare a grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grate. Thread 2 balls lengthwise onto 2 skewers, repeating to make 10 skewers with 2 meatballs on each. (Using 2 skewers stabilizes the meatballs so that they won’t spin around when you turn them on the grill.)

Drizzle meatballs with 2 Tbsp. oil. Grill meatballs, turning occasionally, until well charred and just cooked through, 7–9 minutes. Let cool slightly. Remove from skewers and transfer to a platter. Serve nuoc cham alongside.