Mushroom balls with Chili-peanut sauce
I am, and always have been, a ‘shroom lover. So when I started studying the science of food, I was thrilled to learn that mushrooms are actually pretty nutritious. At a whopping 15 calories per cup, mushrooms contain folate, vitamin B5 (or pantothenic acid, which is important for nutrient metabolism) and potassium (200-300 mg per cup). Shiitake mushrooms in particular also contain a small amount of vitamin D. So while the fungi aren’t as vitamin-rich as, say, the leafy greens, they do provide some nutritional benefit along with their flavor.
This recipe for mushroom meatballs was created with the mushroom in mind – it is the star of the show. Feel free to use any kind of mushroom you like.
Ingredients for the meatballs (makes 18)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup vegetable stock
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp each salt + pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch red pepper flakes
Ingredients for the sauce
4 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp chili oil
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp honey or molasses
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook rice as usual, using veggie stock in place of water.
Add mushrooms and cooked rice to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
To the mixing bowl, add the remaining meatball ingredients.
Scoop mixture into balls and place on lightly oiled foil on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
While the balls are baking, make the sauce: whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
When meatballs are cooked, pour sauce over meatballs and serve over rice noodles with sautéed greens.