Maybe you’re looking for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner. Maybe you’re stuck in a dinner rut. Maybe you’ve got a new thermomix or haven’t used your varoma yet. Maybe you’re trying to be gluten/dairy/egg free. If any of those apply to you then you are going to love this dinner. The kids in this house absolutely love it and decided it tastes like dumplings without the wrappers. I made it when I had chicken mince that I had bought for hawaiian burgers and then couldn’t be bothered making them and just wanted something easier and all done in the thermomix.
It might look like a lot of ingredients but if you keep the basics in your fridge and pantry then you’ll just need some meat. You can make your own mince in the thermomix but I overdid it once so tend to just pick up the mince already done. I like organic chicken mince but you could use whatever mince you prefer including beef if the kids prefer.
The trick to this recipe is that you’re not making burgers so don’t think your mixture is too wet and add more flour. You want a wet mixture so you have deliciously soft, just cooked meatballs to go with your rice.
- ½ onion
- 500g chicken mince (or whatever mince)
- 1 carrot
- 1 zucchini
- 60g gluten free flour (or plain flour if not gluten free)
- 2 Tbsp vegie/chicken stock
- fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 litre water
- 4 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten/wheat intolerant)
- 1 Tbsp mirin or chinese cooking wine
- 300g basmati rice (or your favourite rice)
- Place onion half and a small piece of ginger (about size of 20c piece and 1 cm thick) in thermomix bowl and chop for 4 -5 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl
- Add in carrot in pieces and zucchini and process for about 5 seconds on speed 7-8
- Add in chicken mince, a tablespoon of vegie or chicken stock, flour and combine on speed 3 for 10 seconds or until combined but don't overdo it.
- Tip out mixture onto a plate and check it's all mixed through properly
- Take a spoon or use wet hands to make small balls and place in varoma. Leave some gaps for the steam to come through and use both layers. Set aside
- Fill your rice basket ⅓ full of rice. Rinse under cold water until clear and set aside.
- Place peeled garlic cloves and a piece of ginger about the same size as before into the thermomix bowl and process for a few seconds on speed 7 or 8.
- Add in 1 litre of tap water, tamari, mirin and stock.
- Place rice basket in your bowl, lid on thermomix and without the measuring cup on top you are going to place the varoma on top of your bowl.
- Now cook your dinner - 20 minutes, varoma temperature and speed 3 or 4.
- Check that your meatballs are cooked and please BE CAREFUL when you lift off the varoma lid as the steam is hot and you want to lift the lid off with both hands and set aside.
- Remove rice basket and keep the liquid in the bowl and add a dash more tamari and this has become your sauce.
- Serve up rice, with some meatballs on top and pour over the reserved liquid over each serving.
I’d love this. I don’t use my varoma often enough, it’s obvious.
Hi Corrie, such a huge fan of your recipes and so is my little Miss (especially your one pot spaghetti). Although I don’t own a thermomix, my food processor comes in handy for most recipes and I have gotten so much more use out of it this year then the last three combined. Whenever it’s time to plan meals I know that there are always family friendly and healthy meals here that are so quick to make with a hungry child in the kitchen
Many thanks!
These sound delicious but I don’t own a Thermomix so have no idea what a varoma is! How would I cook them without, is it possible? Many thanks.
of course! do you have a steaming basket to sit on top of a saucepan? You could just grate the ingredients and combine them then while your rice is cooking pop the steaming basket on top. You can pick them up from asian grocers or the supermarket. It’s a really healthy dinner too
It’s being cooked on my thermomix! I’ll tell you later! So easy to do…
Thanks for your wonderful recipes, Corrie!!!!
Greetings from Spain
Delicious!
My kids love these ‘dumplings’! Thanks so much for the idea. Love using the varoma
Hi this looks nice. Looks like the recipe is for TM5 though & I have a TM31 & am wondering if I need alter it to suit my machine?
exactly the same instructions:)
Just cooked this last night. The kids and I loved it! Thanks for a great recipe