Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Hoisin-Garlic Sauce

• 2 pounds Multipurpose Meat Paste (page 158), at room temperature
• 3 ounces pork fatback, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute until firm, drained, cooled, and finely diced (rounded 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup Ground Toasted Rice (page 321)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
• About 32 rice paper rounds, 8 1/2 inches in diameter
• Vegetable Garnish Plate (page 313)
• 2 1/4 cups Spicy Hoisin-Garlic Sauce (page 310)

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken paste, fatback, and ground rice and use a rubber spatula to mix thoroughly.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
3. Use 2 teaspoons to shape 1-inch meatballs: scoop up some of the paste with 1 spoon and pass it back and forth between the 2 spoons, molding it into a compact, nearly round ball and depositing the finished meatball onto the baking sheet.
4. Repeat until all the paste has been shaped.
5. To smooth out the meatballs, lightly oil your palms and roll each ball between them.
6. Return the shiny orbs to the baking sheet.
7. You need to sear the meatballs before you skewer them, to help them keep their shape.
8. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat.
9. Add enough meatballs to cover about one-third of the skillet bottom.
10. (If any meatball has flattened as it sat, give it a final roll between your hands before adding it to the skillet.)
11. Sear the meatballs, shaking the skillet frequently so that they roll around.
12. This helps them to color evenly and to keep their shape.
13. When the meatballs have lost most of their pinkness and have turned off-white, slide them onto a plate.
14. This should take about 2 minutes.
15. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
16. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475F.
17. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
18. Thread 4 meatballs on each skewer, spacing them about a thumbs width apart, and place the skewers on the prepared baking sheet.
19. (Or, set the skewers on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
20. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
21. Arrange the following at the table: rice papers, rice paper dipping bowl(s) filled with warm or hot water, vegetable garnish plate, and hoisin-garlic sauce.
22. Set out a pair of kitchen scissors or a couple of knives for guests to cut the meatballs as they make their hand rolls.
23. Place the skewers in the oven and cook, turning them every 3 to 4 minutes, for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the meatballs have puffed up to the size of Ping-Pong balls and are lightly sizzling and golden.
24. A few brown spots are fine.
25. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly.
26. When the meatballs have deflated and become wrinkly, transfer them to a platter and bring to the table.
27. Explain to any diners new to this dish how to make their hand rolls.
28. First soften a rice paper round in the water bowl and place it on a dinner plate.
29. (See page 331 for tips on working with rice paper.)
30. When the rice paper is pliable and tacky, layer it with the ingredients in the following order: a piece of lettuce, a few cucumber slices, some torn herb leaves, 2 meatballs (each halved), and a drizzle of sauce.
31. Wrap up and enjoy.
32. People love fried foods but too many home cooks are intimidated by deep-frying.
33. If you are one of them, you will miss out on a number of my favorite recipes in this book.
34. Here are some tips to smooth the way to success whenever you are deep-frying:
35. Buy a deep-frying thermometer (same as a candy thermometer) and use a straight-sided pan (such as a Dutch oven) so you can clip it on.
36. Position the tip of the thermometer just above the bottom of the pan so you are measuring the heat of the oil and not the metal.
37. Get organized before you begin frying.
38. Put the food on one side of the stove and the setup for draining the crispy results on the other side.
39. Keep utensils such as a wire skimmer or tongs nearby.
40. Put a few sheets of newspaper on the floor if you are worried about dirtying the kitchen.
41. During or after frying, quickly wipe the stove and counter clean to prevent grease buildup.
42. Never let the oil get so hot that it smokes.
43. If it does, carefully move the pan to another burner.
44. After the smoke dissipates, reheat the oil and continue frying.
45. Fry in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature.
46. Always let the oil return to the appropriate temperature (regulate the heat as necessary) before adding the next batch.
47. Recycle the oil used for deep-frying.
48. After frying, let the oil cool completely, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
49. If the oil is cloudy or contains lots of unsavory bits, line the strainer with a paper towel or cheesecloth.
50. Transfer the oil to a clean, dry jar or plastic bottle, cap tightly, and store in a cool, dry place.
51. In general, I dont reuse oil once it has turned brown (as opposed to its golden color when new) or if it has picked up funky odors from frying foods like fish.

pork fatback, ground toasted rice, neutral oil, rice, hoisingarlic sauce

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-meatballs-with-spicy-hoisin-garlic-sauce-382971 (may not work)