Wanja jeon (Pan-fried egg battered meat balls)

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or combination of beef and pork (half and half))
• 4 to 6 ounces tofu (squeezed and crushed)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 medium carrot
• 2 scallions
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt (about 1/2 teaspoon and pepper to taste)
• 3 eggs (beaten well)
• 1/2 cup flour
• oil for pan-frying

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the vegetables.

2. 2

   Place the tofu in a cheese cloth or kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as possible. Break up any large chunks of tofu into crumbles.

3. 3

   Combine all the prepared ingredients, and mix very well by hand until everything is evenly blended, crushing any remaining big pieces of tofu. You can cook a little bit in the microwave (or in a pan) to see if it needs more salt.

4. 4

   Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls, and then gently press between your palms to flatten.

5. 5

   Dredge the patties in flour one at a time, coating well. Shake off excess flour.

6. 6

   Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat. Coat the pan evenly with 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Dip each piece in the beaten egg, and carefully place in the heated skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, adding more oil, until the meat is cooked through. The meat is ready if it feels firm. Clean the pan, and repeat with the remaining pieces.