Toddler Food -- Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

A started a new daycare last week, he protest every morning and got really worked up with the fact that he has to go to daycare everyday, this changes of his routine literally turn his life and mine upside down. He didn't sleep well, wakes up multiple times at night and nurses more than ever. 

But there aren't all that bad, his appetite increases after daycare and he eats more real foods now comparing pre-daycare time. And I have more time preparing his dinner before picking him up everyday!

He loves this meatballs so much that I was surprised, I initially made only 5 meatballs for him and thought to myself that if he could finished them all, that would be great. But then I can't be more wrong! He asked for more twice and ended up eating 11 pieces of meatballs with all the peas, carrot (I cut into star shapes which he really appreciate!) and vegetable. He had only a spoon of the rice but I was already out of the world.

Ingredients:

For Turkey meatballs:

300 gm minced turkey/chicken

2 tbsp Chopped spring onion/Scallion

1 tbsp cooking wine/ shaoxing wine

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sweet soy sauce or oyster sauce

1/2 tsp salt

a pinch of black pepper powder

1/4 cup corn starch or rice flour for dredging 

1 cup oil for frying

For the sauce:

1/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp minced ginger

1 tbsp snow peas

Few pieces of sliced carrot

2-3 Cherry tomatoes halved

1. In a bowl, mix the minced turkey with the shaoxing cooking wine, minced garlic, ginger and chopped spring onion. Add in sesame oil, season the mixture with sweet soy sauce/oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Use a spatula or a pair of chop sticks to stir the mixture quickly for few minutes until well blended. Set it aside for 20 minutes before frying.

2. Wet hands and roll the turkey mixture into mini meatballs around 1.5 cm in diameter. I made around 30 pieces out of my mixture.

3. Heat up 1 cup of cooking oil, dredge meatballs in corn starch or rice flour, fry them in batches until golden brown. Dish out and drained.

4. Heat up 1 tbsp of oil in a cooking pan, stir in minced garlic and ginger until fragrant.

5. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of tomato ketchup. Stir well, add carrots, cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 1-2 minutes, add meatballs and turn quickly until meatballs covered with sauces. Test the seasoning and adjust with sugar and salt if needed. (I didn't as A likes the taste of tomato sauce as it is.).

I serve the meatballs with some steamed rice (added a little black sesame) and steamed green vegetable. 

中文 -- 宝宝食谱 - 茄汁小丸子