Teriyaki Meatballs

Full disclosure: this recipe has mixed reviews at my house. 

Ingredients:

Meatball
1 lb. ground pork
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 inches fresh ginger
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 whole green onions
10 - 15 cranks freshly cracked pepper

Glaze 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 inches fresh ginger
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Peel the ginger and then grate it using a small holed cheese grater into the bowl. Mince the garlic, slice the green onions, and add them to the bowl. Also add the egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix these ingredients really well until it is all evenly combined (clean hands work best).
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Roll the meatball mixture into small balls, about one tablespoon each. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet as you roll them. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown (about 35-40 minutes). Turn them every 10 minutes or so.
3. While the meatballs are in the oven, make rice to go with the meatballs.
4. While the meatballs are in the oven, also prepare the teriyaki glaze. In a medium pot combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Peel and grate the ginger into the pot. Heat over a low flame until the brown sugar is dissolved (just a few minutes).
5. Add the cornstarch into the pot with the glaze ingredients. Turn the heat up to medium high, stir and cook until thickened. It should thicken as soon as it begins to simmer.
6. When the meatballs come out of the oven, transfer them from the baking sheet into the pot with the glaze. Stir to coat.

Notes:

• Yields about 30 meatballs.