ESSENTIAL RECIPES- CHICKEN
COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN MEATBALLS
By Christine Capendale @ christinecapendale
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
• 500g chicken mince
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 5ml Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper, to taste
For the sauce:
• 15ml toasted sesame seed oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 15ml fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 small yellow pepper, cut into strips
• 45ml Thai green curry paste
• 1 tin coconut cream or coconut milk
• 15ml soy sauce
• 10ml fish sauce
• 5ml honey
• 10ml lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
For the avocado salsa:
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 15ml lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
• chopped chilli, to taste
• salt & pepper, to taste
To serve:
• fresh basil & coriander
• toasted coconut or sesame seeds
• rice, cooked
METHOD
1. Make your meatballs by mixing the chicken mince, spring onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning together. Roll into approximately 20 bitesize meatballs.
2. Cook the meatballs in half of the sesame oil. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. To make your sauce, add the remaining oil and cook the shallots, garlic, peppers and ginger until softened, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Season.
4. Add the curry paste, coconut cream or milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice and zest and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
5. Return the meatballs to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. To make the salsa, combine all the salsa ingredients and season to taste.
7. Add basil and coriander and serve with rice and the salsa. Sprinkle with toasted coconut or sesame seeds and more fresh herbs to taste. pro tips:
Wet your hands before rolling the meatballs. It stops sticking & gives a smoother finish.
Don ' t fully cook the meatballs at first. Just brown them. They finish cooking in the sauce.
Fry the curry paste for 1 to 2 minutes before adding liquids. It deepens the flavour & removes any raw taste.
Add fresh herbs right at the end. Cooking them too long dulls their flavour.