To me, a meatball is all about softness and texture and the way it melts in your mouth. Adding milk to the breadcrumbs lightens the meatballs and means that you shouldn’t need to bind them with eggs. Don’t make them too small or they’ll dry out about golf ball size is just right. This is a classic way of making meatballs, but cooking them in this beautiful aromatic broth means they really soak up the fresh, spicy flavors. Asian cuisine uses coconut milk to enrich a sauce, in much the same way as classic French cooking uses cream, but of course it isn’t as heavy.
SERVES: 2–4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tsp dried chili flakes, to taste
- 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, smashed, and cut into small sticks
- 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- One 14-ounce can coconut milk
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅔ cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 3–4 Tbsp milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
- First prepare the meatballs. Sauté the onion and garlic with salt and pepper to taste in a hot oiled frying pan for about 5 minutes until soft and lightly colored, adding the chili flakes after a minute or two. Place the beef in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and moisten with the milk. Season with salt and pepper, then stir the breadcrumbs and onion mixture into the beef and combine well. With wet hands, shape the beef mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball. Transfer to a lightly greased plate or baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes until firm.
- Brown the meatballs in a cleaned oiled pan for 4–5 minutes, turning frequently until nicely colored on all sides.
- Add the coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, chili flakes, lemongrass, and ginger. Heat through, stirring, until aromatic, then add the stock and coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Simmer for 8–12 minutes until the sauce is flavorful and thickened and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add the lime zest and juice and serve hot.
HOW TO STORE COCONUT MILK:
- Leftover coconut milk can be stored in the fridge for about five days before it sours. If you don’t plan to use it that quickly, simply freeze it in ice-cube trays or small plastic pots. After freezing, the milk will look curdled, but the flavor will be fine.
