Japanese Miso-Pork Meatballs with Apple in Curry Cream Sauce
Ground pork meatballs enriched with white miso and grated apple, finished in a rich Japanese curry cream sauce made with dashi, sake, and yuzu.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1½ lbs 680g ground pork (15–20% fat content)
- ½ Granny Smith apple peeled and grated
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste shiro miso
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoons Japanese curry powder S&B brand
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 green onions white and light green parts finely minced
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper optional
Curry Cream Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 cup canned diced potatoes drained (optional but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Japanese curry powder
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups dashi stock or miso shiru stock warmed
- 3 tablespoons sake or Shaoxing wine
- 4/5 of one Japanese curry bar Golden Curry, Vermont Curry, or Java Curry, broken into pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 –4 teaspoons honey start with 3
- 1 teaspoon yuzu juice OR ½ teaspoon lemon juice + ½ teaspoon lemon zest
For Serving
- 2 –3 green onions chopped
- Steamed white rice
Instructions
PREPARE THE APPLE.
- Grate ½ Granny Smith apple using the large holes of a box grater. Place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to extract all liquid. You should have about ⅓ cup dry, fluffy grated apple. Set aside.
BLOOM THE CURRY POWDER.
- Combine 2 teaspoons Japanese curry powder with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Stir well and let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
MAKE THE PANADE.
- Combine ⅓ cup panko with 3 tablespoons whole milk. Stir and let stand 5 minutes until breadcrumbs absorb all liquid.
PREPARE THE MISO-EGG.
- Beat 1 large egg in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons white miso paste and whisk vigorously until completely smooth with no clumps.
MIX THE MEATBALLS.
- In a large bowl, combine 1½ lbs (680g) ground pork, squeezed-dry apple, curry-butter mixture, panade, miso-egg mixture, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 2 minced green onions, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper (if using). Mix gently with hands until just combined—do not overwork.
FORM THE MEATBALLS.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop or dampened hands, form into 20 meatballs. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
BAKE THE MEATBALLS.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake 12 minutes until just set but not fully cooked.
BROIL FOR BROWNING.
- Turn oven to broil. Broil meatballs 2–3 minutes until tops are golden brown. Remove and set aside.
START THE SAUCE.
- In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 2 diced carrots, and 1 cup diced potatoes (if using). Cook 6–8 minutes until onion is softened. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
BLOOM CURRY IN THE SAUCE.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Japanese curry powder over vegetables. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
MAKE THE ROUX.
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over curry-coated vegetables. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is golden and nutty.
ADD LIQUID AND CURRY BAR.
- Pour in 3 tablespoons sake and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 cups warmed dashi stock, scraping up any browned bits. Add 4/5 of one curry bar, broken into pieces. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, and cook 5–7 minutes until curry bar dissolves and sauce thickens.
FINISH THE SAUCE.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 3 teaspoons honey. Simmer 2–3 minutes until smooth and glossy. Taste—add more honey if needed. Do not add salt yet.
SIMMER THE MEATBALLS.
- Nestle meatballs into sauce. Spoon sauce over tops. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
FINISH.
- Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon yuzu juice (or ½ teaspoon lemon juice + ½ teaspoon lemon zest). Taste sauce—only add salt if needed (usually not necessary).
SERVE.
- Spoon meatballs and sauce over steamed rice. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
SERVE WITH –
Steamed white rice
CHEF’S NOTES (READ BEFORE YOU COOK)
• Blooming curry powder in melted butter extracts fat-soluble flavor compounds (especially curcumin) more effectively than adding dry spice to liquid.
• The panade (panko soaked in milk) coats meat proteins in starch, preventing them from cross-linking and toughening during cooking.
• Whisking miso into beaten egg before combining with pork distributes the paste evenly. Adding miso directly to raw meat creates pockets of concentrated salt.
• Baking at 400°F then finishing under the broiler creates Maillard browning on the surface without overcooking the interior. The meatballs finish gently in the simmering sauce.
• The curry bar should dissolve completely—stir frequently and break up any remaining pieces against the side of the pan.
SERVING & PAIRINGS
• Serve over steamed Japanese short-grain rice.
• Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
MAKE-AHEAD & LEFTOVERS
• Sauce can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before adding meatballs.
• Formed, unbaked meatballs can be frozen on a sheet pan and stored in freezer bags for up to 2 months.