The Willoughton Wanderer

Some weekend lunches are functional — a quick bite between errands, chores and kiln firings. And then there are those wonderfully unplanned dishes that stop you in your tracks, make you sit down properly, and enjoy something far better than the ingredients ever promised. This Black Garlic Meatball Rice Bowl belongs firmly in the latter camp.

A simple plate: crisped German meatball pieces, fluffy rice, a glossy black-garlic glaze, and a scattering of mustard and fennel seeds that pop with aromatic warmth. Finished with dried parsley from the jar — a humble garnish, yes, but one that adds a welcome herbal brightness against all that dark sticky goodness. It may look rustic and unfussy, but the flavour is anything but.

A Bowl Built on Contrasts

What works so beautifully here is the play of textures and tastes. The meatballs, chopped into bite-sized pieces and browned until the edges caramelise, develop a deep savoury crust. Once they’re coated in black garlic ketchup and soy, everything turns lacquered and irresistible — each piece sticky, sweet, smoky and rich with umami.

The toasted seeds add an almost surprising crunch:

• Mustard seeds give tiny bursts of warmth and nuttiness.
• Fennel seeds soften and perfume the dish with their subtle anise notes, threading an unexpected sweetness through the glaze.

Even the dried parsley earns its place. Mixed into the hot meatballs it gives a soft, earthy lift, and sprinkled over the top it adds a fleck of green that brightens both the flavour and the look of the bowl.

It’s a lunch that feels comforting but not heavy, quick but not rushed — exactly the sort of happy accident the Wanderer’s kitchen thrives on.

Recipe: Black Garlic Meatball Rice Bowl with Toasted Seeds & Parsley

Serves: 2
Time: Around 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

• Cooked German meatballs, cut into small pieces
• 1–2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2–3 tbsp black garlic ketchup
• Splash of soy sauce
• ½–1 tsp honey (optional but lovely)
• Dried parsley (half mixed in, half sprinkled on top)
• Cooked rice
• Salt & pepper

Method

1. Brown the meatball pieces in hot oil until crisp around the edges.
2. Toast the mustard and fennel seeds in the same pan until aromatic.
3. Add the black garlic ketchup, soy, and honey, letting the sauce bubble and coat the meatballs in a sticky glaze.
4. Stir in a sprinkle of dried parsley so it warms through.
5. Serve over hot rice and finish with another dusting of dried parsley.

How It Eats

Every forkful delivers something pleasingly bold: the sweet-savory glaze, the crunchy seeds, the soft rice soaking up the sticky sauce. It’s the sort of lunch you eat slowly, appreciating each bite, despite how simple and thrown-together it started out.

A little dish with big character — and one that’s likely to make a repeat appearance on many a Willoughton Wanderer weekend.