Oriental-Style Chicken and Duck Meatballs

Method

1. Grind the deboned chicken thigh (400g) and duck breast (200g) together, or chop finely with a knife.
2. In a bowl, combine the ground meat with 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 piece of minced ginger, 2 tbsp sake, 1 beaten egg, cornstarch (as needed), and a pinch of salt. Mix until the mixture holds together but is still moist.
3. Form the mixture into small meatballs (about 20 total).
4. Prepare the braising sauce: in a pan, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, a splash of vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and the fat saved from the duck skin. Bring to a boil.
5. Thicken the sauce with a slurry of cornstarch and water, stirring until glossy. Set aside.
6. Heat a little oil in a pan. Brown half of the meatballs on all sides.
7. Pour the prepared sauce over the browned meatballs and let them simmer, coating each meatball in the glaze.
8. For the fried meatballs, coat the remaining raw meatballs in panko breadcrumbs (no egg needed as the mixture is moist).
9. Deep fry the panko-coated meatballs in hot oil until golden brown and fully cooked through (ensure chicken and duck are cooked).
10. Make the lime mayonnaise: in a tall container, place 1 egg at room temperature, 100g seed oil, 30g toasted sesame oil, lime juice, lime zest, and salt. Blend with an immersion blender until emulsified. Fold in extra lime zest if desired.
11. Serve the braised meatballs on a plate with fresh chives. Serve the fried meatballs with the lime mayonnaise on the side.