Wangchachon

Ingredients:

Meatballs

• 110 g firm tofu, patted dry
• 220 g of ground beef
• 220 g of minced pork
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, grated (about 1 tbsp.)
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
• 1 cup flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (more if needed)

Dip sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 tsp gochukaru (red pepper flakes), optional

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 120°C.
2. Meatballs:
   
   Place the tofu on a piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as possible. Break the tofu into small pieces. Crush any remaining large pieces by rubbing them between your fingers. Everything should be finely crumbled, with no large chunks remaining.
3. In a large bowl, combine the shredded tofu, beef, pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, green onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with your hands until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Form the meat mixture into 18–20 meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons per each; if you have a #40 ice cream scoop, you can use it to form uniform meatballs). Place them on a large baking sheet or plate. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten into a 1-cm-thick, 4-cm-diameter patty.
5. Place the flour on a large rimmed plate and whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat with 3 tablespoons of oil.
6. Dredge each meatball in flour, coating thoroughly on all sides. Smooth out any rough, uneven edges for a neat appearance. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the meatball in the egg, coating thoroughly so that no flour is visible. You can coat all the meatballs in flour at once, but be sure to dip them in the egg one at a time. Carefully place the meatball in the hot pan. Most of the egg will drip to the bottom, forming a "skirt" that will be on top when served. Do not move the meatballs, as the egg-covered side should be clean and free of fried bits. Fry all the meatballs in the same manner.
7. Cook, undisturbed, until the meatballs are light golden brown on the bottom, 4–5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until the other side is light golden brown, another 4–5 minutes.
   
   

   Chef's Note

   
   I prefer to mix equal parts ground beef and ground pork, but you can choose a different ratio or use just one type of ground beef.
8. Transfer the finished meatballs to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and place in a warm oven to keep warm.
9. Wipe the pan dry with a paper towel and heat another 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat for frying the next batch.
   
   Dip sauce:
   
   Combine soy sauce, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, sugar, and gochukara (if using) in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Serve with wonjajeon.