Asian Turkey Meat balls

I fell in love with Chinese food because as a kid my mother used to take us out once a week to the local Chinese restaurant Ho King. We went during the week when my father worked late. I also vividly remember the hot lunch of Chow Mein that  I asked my Mom to order for me. The slimy celery and chicken was covered in salty black soy sauce and crispy noodles. I ate it all slowly to savor the salty slushy goodness. When we went to Ho King the portions were much more massive. We would start with a Won Ton soup with dumplings filled with a silky meat, sliced pork and a colorful green vegetable. It was, and still is my favorite incarnation of chicken soup. The combination plate of chicken chow mein was huge. Piled high with their celery and chicken in a cornstarch coating that seemed endless, next to fried rice with chunks of pork. Included in the meal was a crunchy egg roll filled with cabbage and more spiced pieces of pork. The egg hroll was dipped in duck sauce, called such for no reason that made any sense since it was sweet and sour apricot sauce. The crispy, oily noodles were also dipped into the gooey sweet sauce and came in a bowl piled high and refilled when nearly empty. Tea pots were filled with delicious jasmine tea that was refilled when the top was lifted as a signal. So, I remember loving the overfilled satisfied feeling I got after going for American Chinese food. 

I am loving this new book, A Very Chinese Cookbook, by father son hosts of Hunger Pangs, Kevin and Jeffrey Pang. It creates many American Chinese foods and from China.

"Lion's Head Meatballs" I changed it up and call them "Asian Turkey Meatballs'

Ingredients 

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 pounds of ground turkey

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 scallions, mince the white and thinly slice the green

2 tablespoons of soy sauce (I like salt so add to taste)

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

4 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 small head napa cabbage, cut into strips

4 ounces of dried rice vermicelli 

Directions:

Set oven for 325 and leave room in center for a dutch oven.

1. Mix baking soda salt and 2 tablespoons water in the bowl of a stand up mixer. Add turkey, egg, scallions whites, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar ginger and pepper. Use the paddle and beat with medium speed until well mixed (45 seconds).

2. Bring the Dutch oven filled with the chicken broth to boil. Carefully place large meat balls ( bigger than golf balls) into the liquid. Put oil and water on your hands to form the balls so they don't stick and fall apart. When full cover and put in center of oven for 40 minutes. 

3. Remove meat balls to a plate and cook the cabbage on the stove until bright green, 3 minutes. 

4. Plate the meatballs and cabbage with cooked noodles and cover with broth and garnished with sliced green onions. This when I add extra soy sauce.