How to make itsu meatball at home

Since the start of lockdown, high street restaurants have been delighting fans by sharing recipes to their dishes so home cooks can recreate them at home.

And now Asian-inspired food chain, itsu, has revealed the recipe for its delicious meatballs, and has even teamed up with plant-based company, Meatless Farm to reveal how to make the vegan version.

Designed to appeal to meat-eaters, veggies and vegans alike, this hearty bowl is a filling dish that is jam packed with protein and perfect for spicing up your meals during lockdown.

While it’s not as quick as grabbing a takeout from itsu, the hearty dish can be on the table in just 35 minutes, and customised with noodles, chilli and your favourite veg.is

Here, FEMAIL reveals how to make the meatballs at home…

Asian-inspired food chain, itsu, have revealed the recipe for their delicious meatballs, and have even teamed up with plant-based company, Meatless Farm to reveal how to make the vegan version

How to make itsu’s Asian Meatballs in a broth bowl

Serves: 4 bowls | Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

400g beef or plant-based alternative
1 tsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass (or dried)
½ deseeded red chilli
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp minced ginger
1 tsp salt
½ tsp minced garlic
3 baby sweetcorn
75g ready cooked rice
Chopped red chilli (to garnish

1 sachet itsu ‘miso easy’ traditional flavour in 200 ml boiling water
50g Shimeji mushrooms (any mushrooms will do, chanterelle, oyster mushrooms also great)
½ tsp truffle oil (use olive oil if not available)
4 basil leaves
Edamame
1 egg (optional)
1 sliced spring onion
Sesame seeds sprinkle, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2. Mix mince with other ingredients in a large bowl, mix and then shape into balls about the size of a golf ball. A 400g pack of mince should make between 10 and 12 meatballs.

3. Place them evenly spaced into an ovenproof tray lined with grease proof paper.

4. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 180 degrees.

Whist you are waiting:

5. Boil your baby sweetcorn in water over a medium heat, until cooked through. Once ready, put to one side.

6. If you have chosen to include an egg, poach the egg in salted water (you can use the same water as the baby sweetcorn, to save time, cleaning up and to add a little extra flavour).

7. Add your truffle or olive oil to a frying pan over a medium to high heat, once heated add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Put to one side so they are ready to add to the finished bowl.

Once your Meatballs are ready

8. Add one sachet of the itsu ‘miso easy’ to 200ml of boiling water and mix well.

9. Heat up your ready cooked rice pack in the microwave, as per pack instructions.

10. You are ready to build your bowl! Turn your rice into your bowl in a pile, add the miso soup, Asian Meatballs, mushrooms, baby corn, egg and top with all other prepared ingredients. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top to garnish.

To add your own touch, try adding…. Bok choy, Seaweed, Crispy chilli flakes, Asparagus, Noodles (instead of rice), Bean sprouts, Julien carrots

Mix Meatless Farm mince with other ingredients in a large bowl, mix and then shape into balls about the size of a golf ball. A 400g pack of mince should make between 10 and 12 meatballs

Place them evenly spaced into an ovenproof tray lined with grease proof paper

You are ready to build your bowl! Turn your rice into your bowl in a pile, add the miso soup, Asian Meatballs, mushrooms, baby corn, egg and top with all other prepared ingredients. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top to garnish