INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound ground beef, thawed
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs*
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce (homemade or store bought)

Optional:

• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 1/2 cups water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with foil then place a wire rack on top.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro, salt, soy sauce, breadcrumbs, and egg. Roll the mixture into roughly 1 inch meatballs and place on the baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until brown and cooked completely.
3. Shortly before the meatballs are done, add the sweet chili sauce to a medium saucepan and heat until just before boiling. Once the meatballs are cooked, roll in the sweet chili sauce until fully coated. Keep warm while serving.

Optional:

1. If serving the meatballs with rice, add the rice and water to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Fluff with a fork then serve with meatballs.

Notes:
*Panko bread crumbs are Japanese-style bread crumbs that are coarser than traditional bread crumbs and are often found in the Asian section of your grocery store. In a pinch, you can substitute regular bread crumbs or even crushed up butter crackers.