Ninh Hoa Grilled Meatballs

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch
• 1 tablespoon bottled fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• Vegetable oil for greasing the hands
• 2 small heads Boston lettuce, cored, with leaves separated

1. In a bowl, mix the pork, pepper, garlic, sugar, cornstarch and potato starch and fish sauce.
2. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat a grill or broiler.
4. With oiled hands, make 21 meatballs, each about 1 inch in diameter.
5. (The mixture may be a bit loose.)
6. If grilling, place 3 meatballs on each of 7 bamboo skewers.
7. If broiling, place on a baking sheet or broiler pan.
8. Grill or broil until the meatballs are deep brown and crisp on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
9. Remove from skewers.
10. Serve the hot meatballs with the lettuce leaves and nuoc cham dipping sauce (see recipe).

ground pork, freshly ground pepper, garlic, sugar, cornstarch, potato starch, fish sauce, vegetable oil, boston lettuce

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10256 (may not work)