- 1½ pounds ground beef
- ¼ cup cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ½ teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 can (10¾ ounces) condensed tomato soup
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- ½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 small green cabbage (about 1½ pounds), cored and shredded
- 3 gingersnaps, crushed
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl, and mix well. Set the mixture aside.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Then add the soup, 1½ soup cans of water, and the lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well, and stir in the shredded cabbage and crushed gingersnaps.
- Using your hands, form the meat mixture into balls about 1¼ inches in diameter and add them to the sauce. Cover the pot, and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Transfer the meatballs and sauce to a 13 × 9-inch glass baking dish. Cover the dish and bake for 1½ hours.
- Spoon the meatballs and sauce over hot rice or noodles, and serve.