Xíu Mại

also called xiu mai · xíu mại · Vietnamese meatballs · pork meatballs in tomato sauce · banh mi xiu mai · meatball banh mi · Vietnamese meatball sandwich · S4

The table

1/2(diced small)yellow onionfry 4 min, cook the paste outsimmer 10 min, thin and sweetpoach 20 min, spooning overscatter and serve wet
2 Tbs(30 mL)annatto oil
2 Tbs(35 g)tomato paste
2 large(450 g; grated on the box grater, skins discarded)grated tomatoes
1 1/2 cups(355 mL)chicken stock
1 Tbs(15 mL)fish sauce
1 lb(450 g)ground porkmix, throw, roll 12 balls
1/3 cup(45 g; squeezed dry)grated jicama
1(minced)shallot
2 cloves(minced)garlic
1 Tbs(15 mL)fish sauce
1 tspgranulated sugar
1 Tbs(8 g)cornstarch
2(sliced)scallions
2 Tbscilantro
2bánh mì rolls
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry 4 min, cook the paste out

2mix, throw, roll 12 balls

3simmer 10 min, thin and sweet

goes in with what step 1 made

5scatter and serve wet

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 34 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
4 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 45 min.

  1. mix, throw, roll 12 balls

    not timedfrom the start

  2. fry 4 min, cook the paste out

    4 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. simmer 10 min, thin and sweet

    10 minwalk away4 min in

  4. poach 20 min, spooning over

    20 minwalk away14 min in

  5. scatter and serve wet

    not timed34 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need skillet

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Xíu Mại
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: pork, tomato, vietnamese, meatballs, stovetop
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì
>> aka: xiu mai, xíu mại, Vietnamese meatballs, pork meatballs in tomato sauce, banh mi xiu mai, meatball banh mi, Vietnamese meatball sandwich, S4
>> pairs-with: banh-mi-khong
>> servings: 4
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: mix, throw, roll 12 balls
>> step.2: fry 4 min, cook the paste out
>> step.3: simmer 10 min, thin and sweet
>> step.4: poach 20 min, spooning over
>> step.5: scatter and serve wet

Mix @ground pork{1%lb}(450 g), @grated jicama{1/3%cup}(45 g; squeezed dry), @shallot{1}(minced), @garlic{2%cloves}(minced), @fish sauce{1%Tbs}(15 mL), @granulated sugar{1%tsp} and @cornstarch{1%Tbs}(8 g), throw the mixture against the side of the bowl a dozen times so it tightens, then roll it into 12 balls.

Fry @yellow onion{1/2}(diced small) in @annatto oil{2%Tbs}(30 mL) in a #skillet{} ~fry{4%min} until soft and orange, then stir @tomato paste{2%Tbs}(35 g) through and cook it a minute past raw.

Simmer @&(~1)tomato base{} with @grated tomatoes{2%large}(450 g; grated on the box grater, skins discarded) and @chicken stock{1 1/2%cup}(355 mL) and @fish sauce{1%Tbs}(15 mL) ~simmer{10%min}. The sauce should stay thin enough to run off a spoon. Thickening it is the usual mistake — a thick sauce sits on top of the bread instead of soaking into it, and soaking in is the entire point.

Poach @&(~3)meatballs{} in @&(~1)sauce{} ~poach{20%min}, turning them once and spooning sauce over as they firm up.

Scatter @scallions{2}(sliced) and @cilantro{2%Tbs} over @&(~1)xíu mại{} and bring it to the table in a shallow bowl with @bánh mì rolls{2} to tear and dip — or split a roll open and spoon the balls straight in, wet enough to run down your wrist.