Prep the meatballs: Peel and finely chop the onion. Thinly slice the spring onions. Peel and crush the garlic.
To a bowl, add half the spring onions (reserve the rest to garnish), the garlic, beef mince, 1 tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce and the Oyster Sauce. Combine well together, ensuring the Sweet Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce are massaged into the mince.
Shape into meatballs - 4 per person. Leave the meatballs to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours, or you can leave them to marinate overnight.
Cook the sweet potatoes: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into small cubes, then toss them with a drizzle of your preferred cooking oil or spray, and season with salt and pepper.
Cook in the air fryer at 200°C for 18–20 minutes, shaking halfway.
Cook the meatballs: Cook the meatballs in the air fryer at 200°C for 10 - 12 minutes, shaking halfway, until cooked through. Note - if your air fryer has 1 drawer, you can cook the meatballs in the same drawer as the sweet potatoes - you may need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes to ensure it all cooks evenly.
Air fryers may vary, so check your meatballs after 8 - 10 minutes and cook for a little longer if needed.
Prep the smacked cucumber & pickled red onion: For the smacked cucumber, slice the cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Place the cucumber, flesh-side down, on a board, then with a rolling pin (or another heavy object) bash the cucumber to bruise it. Cut the cucumber into thin slices.
For the pickled red onion, peel and thinly slice the red onion, add it to a bowl then sprinkle over the Rice Vinegar and scrunch up the slices with your hands. If you like a touch of sweetness you can add a drizzle of Sweet Soy Sauce.
Make the Sweet Soy Sesame Glaze: Just before you are ready to serve, make the glaze. In a small pan, mix together the Sweet Soy Sauce, sesame oil and an optional pinch of chilli flakes. Warm over a low heat for 2 minutes, until you have a glossy glaze.
Plate Up: If your sesame seeds aren’t already toasted, toast them in a dry pan over a low-medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
Plate up each bowl with the meatballs, sweet potato, cucumber and red onion. Drizzle the glaze on top then sprinkle over the sesame seeds and remaining spring onions. Tuck in and enjoy.
Adapt the recipe to suit your own tastes and dietary preferences - for example, you could swap the beef mince for pork, chicken, or vegetarian mince.
The Sweet Soy Glaze is also delicious poured over your preferred meat - we love it with pan-fried chicken breasts and a side salad, for an easy dinner.
For the best results you can marinate the meatballs overnight, to allow the Oyster Sauce and Sweet Soy Sauce flavours to develop. You can also freeze them at this stage, then simply defrost and cook when needed.
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
And don't forget, Asian-inspired meals are made for sharing, so get friends and family together for a feast.
