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Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Meatballs with Buttered Barley

These Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Meatballs feature juicy spiced meatballs covered in a glossy sweet and sour pomegranate sauce served on a bed of buttery pearl barley.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Buttered Pearl Barley
  • 3 cups water or stock
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter cut into cubes
Spiced Meatballs
  • 454g (1 lb) lean ground beef
  • 2 shallots halved and sliced thin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (1-inch) knob ginger minced
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp five spice powder
Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Sauce
  • 300ml (10 fl oz) pomegranate juice
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp black vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp Sauce*
  • 1 oz Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
To Garnish
  • ½ cup pomegranate arils
  • ¼ cup micro greens
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method
 

For the Barley
  1. Combine the water, barley, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Let the barley stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  2. When ready to serve, add the butter to the barley and toss until the butter melts and coats the barley evenly.
For the Meatballs
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and, using a clean hand, mix to combine.
  3. Using a tablespoon as a guide, divide and roll the beef mixture into evenly sized meatballs. Transfer the finished meatballs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven. Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes or until firm and evenly browned. Keep warm until ready to serve.
For the Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Sauce
  1. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Pour the pomegranate juice, soy sauce, honey, black vinegar, chili crisp, and Shaoxing wine into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
  2. In a small bowl whisk to combine the cornstarch and water. Pour the mixture into the simmering sauce and stir until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  3. Transfer the finished sauce to a heatproof jar and set aside until ready to serve.
To Serve
  1. Pour a cup of the sauce over the meatballs and toss to coat. Transfer the meatballs to a platter and the remaining sauce to a small bowl.
  2. Garnish the meatballs with pomegranate arils, sesame seeds, and microgreens. Serve immediately alongside the additional sauce and the buttered pearl barley.

Notes

*You can find Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp Sauce online or in most Asian grocery stores.