...because I want everybody to enjoy my balls!

[felicula]

Meatless Balls

Ingredients:
1 package of extra firm, coarse tofu (I used the Wegmans brand)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt (I used a mounded half teaspoon)
2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
6 tbsp breadcrumbs (I used matzoh meal, since I have it on hand)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp summer savory

I prep the tofu by draining it, wrapping it in several layers worth of paper towels. I set it on a clean dishtowel on top of a cutting board to drain of excess water. I use a heavy book on top of a plate as a weight to squeeze out the extra water and set it aside for 2 hours.

With the tofu drained, I broke it into smaller pieces into a food processer. I added the rest of the ingredients and whirred it, stopping to scrape down the sides a couple times until it was thoroughly mixed. Then I dampened my hands and formed the mix into balls. It doesn't really matter what size you make them but I generally aim for 1" to 1 3/4" diameter.

Boil about 8 cups of water or more. I usually salt the boiling water a little as well. If you set the water to boil before shaping the balls, it will likely be boiling or close to it by the time they're ready to go in. I usually drop them one-by-one, then set a timer for 7 minutes after they're all in the water. Keep an eye on the water temperature. It likes to boil over if I leave it on high.

This recipe is really rather versatile. I've made it with a variety of meats as well as tofu. It can gracefully work with a number of seasonings too. Leave out the garlic and savory, add some ginger to the cooking water, and serve it with a nice teriyaki sauce. Add some red pepper flakes and spice it up a bit. They work with a simple pasta and sauce, alone, or just about any way meatballs can be used.

I adapted this recipe from a recipe for tsukune (chicken balls popular at yakitori bars) in Japanese Cooking by Emi Kazuko with recipes by Yasuko Fukuoka.

Comments

[phoenixsong]

What size package, for those interested?

And about how much meat to the proportions, for those of us not so much on the tofu?

[blackfelicula.livejournal.com]

The recipe calls for 11 ounces of meat, but it's been rather flexible on that in my experience. I'm used to being given random game meat from my in-laws which isn't labelled by weight, necessitating a bit of guesswork.

Yesterday I actually made a double recipe worth. I don't still have the packages from the tofu, though, so I'll have to wait until I buy more (within a couple days) to post the exact weight per package.

I can't stress enough how versatile this recipe is. I've used it with chicken, turkey, venison, and caribou. Of all of them, the tofu made a mix that was easiest to handle.

I've used it for regular old pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs. I've got a sweet-and-sour meatballs recipe based on golden mushroom soup that they go great with. I'd just as soon eat them one by one without any further embellishment.

My only warning is that some of the frozen ground meats have too much water in them and need more breadcrumbs / flour / crackermeal or whatever to absorb it. It's a recipe that is so forgiving with experimening. Feel free to play around with it to find out just how you like my balls.