Deep-fried lotus root and pork meatballs

Peel the lotus root and dice it finely, by food processor or cleaver.

Put it in a big bowl with 340 g ground pork at about 15 percent fat, one egg, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 3 tbsp diced scallions and 3 tbsp diced cilantro.

Season with 1 tbsp each soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce and white pepper to taste, and mix by hand until combined.

Add 2.5 tbsp cornstarch, then stir in one direction for five minutes to develop the texture and set aside.

Heat the oil to 375F, squeeze the mixture into meatballs and scoop each one into the oil with a spoon.

Fry at medium heat for a few minutes, flipping as needed for even colour; the whole batch takes eight to ten minutes.

Alternative: flatten them into patties and pan-fry until golden brown to use less oil.