Yummy Sweet & Sour Turkey Meatballs

This is a lighter, homemade answer to gloopy takeaway sweet and sour. Lean turkey mince stands in for the usual battered pork, rolled into tender meatballs seasoned with Chinese five-spice, onion and breadcrumbs that keep them moist as they simmer.

The sweet-and-sour sauce is made from scratch, and it’s all about balance. Demerara sugar brings the sweetness, malt vinegar and a little ketchup bring the tang, and chicken stock rounds it out. You thicken it the clever way, by blending cornflour into the reserved pineapple juice, so nothing goes to waste and the sauce turns glossy and clear.

It’s loaded with vegetables too. Carrots and green pepper soften into the sauce, while pineapple chunks and crisp bean sprouts go in right at the end so they keep their freshness and crunch.

Simmer the meatballs gently in the sauce, then scatter with spring onions and serve over rice.

Chef Tips

• Don’t boil the meatballs hard. A gentle simmer keeps lean turkey tender instead of dry and tough.
• Add the bean sprouts and pineapple only at the end, so they stay crisp and bright rather than turning limp.
• Blend the cornflour smoothly into the cold pineapple juice before adding it, so the sauce thickens without lumps.

Variations

• Use chicken or pork mince in place of the turkey.
• Add a splash of soy sauce or a knob of grated ginger to the sauce for more depth.
• Serve over steamed rice or noodles to soak up the sauce.