I am not a big fan of Asian flavors, but when it comes to Thai food, I just can’t resist that. I like how the sweet subtle flavor of coconut milk in curries contrasts so well with spicy fiery chilies and the crunch which peanuts lend to the overall dish. The flavors are almost like having a party in your mouth. Almost a month back, I made these Thai chicken meatballs for a weekend dinner. After that, I got busy with work and then Diwali preparations and I never got time to post the recipe for these meatballs. Today when it is Sunday and I am relaxing sitting on my couch, I’ve got enough time to do some pending blog and photography related work items which I had been postponing. Because I know that tomorrow starts another maddening week at work and I am going to fall short of time again. These chicken meatballs are very tender and are cooked in a pan with very little oil, which makes them less fatty and a bit more healthy. I had these with rice noodles which were great for soaking all the amazing flavors from the sauce. These are good weeknight dinner as well if you make the meatballs beforehand and freeze them to be had during the week.
- 500 gm chicken mince
- 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
- 2 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 inch ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, plus extra sprigs to serve
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped basil leaves
- 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice and zest
- 2 small red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Rice vermicelli noodles, mixed herbs, lettuce and greens, chopped peanuts, to serve
- To make the sauce, combine chilli sauce, lime juice and zest and half the ginger in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together chicken mince, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, mint, coriander, basil, lemongrass, red chilli and salt. Taking heaped tablespoon of the mince mixture, make meatballs. Cover and chill for about 20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium low heat. In batches, cook meatballs, turning, for 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Add prepared sauce and turn to coat.
- Serve with cooked rice vermicelli, herbs, greens and chopped peanuts and extra sauce.