Crispy Deep Fried Pork & Shrimp Meatball (Baso Goreng)

Oh, how I miss this deep fried pork and shrimp meatball, or known as Baso Goreng. This is one of my favorite childhood snacks or appetizers. It is crispy on the outside and a bit chewy in the inside, yet juicy. My kids love baso goreng. Since it’s not a ‘messy’ food and easy to grab, this baso goreng is a great menu idea to pack for her school lunches.

For these deep fried pork and shrimp meatball, I think the most suitable and my favorite sauce will be Thai sweet chili sauce. Once you dunk the deep fried meatball (or baso goreng) in the sauce, it will be a combination between soft and crispy. I usually can eat five of these meatballs in one sittings, how many can you eat?

Tip: When you want the meatball to be crispy longer, fry it until there are less bubble around the meatball.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork
• ½ lb shrimp – peeled and cleaned
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil to fry
• Thai sweet chili sauce (optional condiment)

Directions:

• Except oil and Thai sweet chili sauce, put all the ingredients in the food processor. Mix it well. Ensure that there are no big chunky pieces.
• Preheat the oil in the deep fryer.
• Once the oil is heated, let’s test the taste first before frying the whole thing. Make a small ball from the mixture. Cook until there is less bubble in the meatball.
• Adjust the taste, accordingly, add more salt or pepper if needed.
• Once the taste is to your liking, use 2 spoons (or your clean hand) to form a ball shaped, usually as big as a ping pong ball, however it is up to you. The bigger it is, the longer time you will need to fry it. Also, wet the spoons (or your hands) to ensure that the mixture won’t stick to it.
• Fry the ball shaped mixture in the deep fryer. Cook until it is golden brown and there is less bubble around the meatball.
• Set aside to cool down for a little bit.
• The meatballs are ready to be served. Eat with Thai sweet chili or your favorite condiments!