CogniCuisine™ Recipe
Sweet Potato-Gochujang Meatballs
with Coconut-Miso Sauce and Steamed Rice
↓ Download Recipe PDFSweet potato replaces eggs and breadcrumbs with no fuss: bake well, scoop, mash, and move on. The meatballs bake evenly, then finish under the broiler. The coconut-miso sauce was balanced at the stove with lime, fish sauce, brown sugar, and finished with a cornstarch slurry so it pools, holds, and carries the bite.
Read the full article about this recipe on Substack ↗
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Binder
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, baked until very soft
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork shoulder
- ¾ lb ground beef chuck
- ¾ cup sweet potato binder
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Coconut-Miso Sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 can (13.5 oz / 400ml) full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup light chicken or pork stock
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons fish sauce
- 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
To Serve
- Steamed short-grain white rice
- Butter or neutral oil
Method
1. Prepare the sweet potato binder.
Bake 1 lb sweet potatoes until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and mash until mostly smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the meatballs.
Gently combine 1 lb ground pork shoulder, ¾ lb ground beef chuck, ¾ cup sweet potato binder, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon white pepper just until cohesive. Do not overwork.
3. Bake and broil.
Form meatballs and arrange on a lined sheet pan. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes, then switch to broil and cook about 2 minutes, until browned and set.
4. Start the sauce.
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add 2 finely minced shallots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
5. Build the base.
Stir in 1 tablespoon gochujang and 1 tablespoon white miso. Cook 45 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
6. Simmer the sauce.
Whisk in 1 can coconut milk, ¼ cup stock, and 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Simmer gently until spoonable, about 5 minutes.
7. Finish the sauce.
Remove from heat and stir in 1½ teaspoons fish sauce and 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry, then return briefly to low heat until the sauce turns glossy.
8. Serve.
Spoon sauce generously onto warmed plates or a platter. Nestle meatballs into the sauce. Serve with steamed short-grain rice finished with butter or neutral oil.
Chef’s Notes
- Sweet potato binder: The baked sweet potato must be very soft, underbaked potato produces a dense, starchy binder that does not integrate properly with the meat.
- Gochujang: Heat levels vary by brand. Taste your gochujang before using and adjust quantities accordingly.
- Do not overwork the meatball mixture: Mix just until cohesive. Overworking develops the proteins and produces a tough meatball.
- Broiling: Watch the meatballs closely under the broiler. Two minutes produces a browned, set exterior. Beyond that they will dry out.
- Sauce finish: Add fish sauce and lime juice off-heat to preserve their brightness. Both lose complexity when simmered.
- Rice: Short-grain white rice finished with butter absorbs the sauce more evenly than long-grain. Do not skip the fat.