Curry Meatballs

Sometimes things don´t turn out as intended. When cooking, that can at times be more pleasing than others. Missing ingredients lead to resourceful inventiveness, a turn of absent-mindedness, a twist of distraction and low and behold the soup has never tasted as good… or bad. The recipe for curry meatballs came about in a similar way. So it begins: pick up one half kilo. fresh ground meat from the butcher, continue on to post office and wait in line, return empty water crate to grocery store wait there as well, bump into and chat with a friend from neighboring village, aimlessly wander store until you recall why you are there: ah yes to pick up a crate of water to replace the empty one, wait in line again, get home put meat in fridge, “where are the vegetables? Oh brother, you forgot to go to the farmers and thereby forgot half the things on the shopping list and where is the shopping list anyway?” Sharing a bed with a 4 year old that performs acrobatics in her sleep and takes up space enough for two full grown adults can show it´s signs. A strong cup of cappuccino later, with foam as smooth and thick as meringue, I feel alert and inspired and check the fridge to see what I can put together for the lunch table. The above mentioned ground meat, two organic bell peppers: one yellow and squat with a trace of green the other standard red, three green onions, yellow curry paste, one can of coconut milk. Over to the wood shelf for spices: cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cayenne, grab the panko. Curry meatballs it is. Bonus, there is still enough left over millet spinach pie from yesterday to warm in the oven and serve on the side. Pipping hot on the plates…mmmmm. I had never thought about making curry meatballs before. This turned out delicious. As an alternative to a grain, I would serve the meat balls on a steamed bed of cauliflower and wilted spinach. Side note: the left over millet spinach pie that I served with the meatballs is a recipe from Lorna Sass´s book Whole Grains, Every Day Every Way. I am a big fan of millet and can recommend Ms. Sass´s recipe.

Curry Meatballs

Serves 2.5 (2 adults and a 4 year old)

Time: 60 min.

Ingredients meatballs:

550gr. ground meat (I used pork and beef)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 small bell peppers, finely chopped (I used yellow and red)

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp cayenne

2-3 tbsp oil

Ingredients sauce:

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp yellow curry paste

400ml coconut milk

2 eggs

1/2-3/4 cup panko (bread crumbs Japanese style)

fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish

Prepare meatballs:

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F

Finely chop onions and bell peppers (reserve one half cup of peppers for later), slowly sauté in a skillet with 2-3 tbsp oil until onions are transparent. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a small dish mix salt, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cayenne.

In a medium size bowl lightly beat 2 eggs, add ground meat, mixed spices, sautéed onion and bell pepper. Combine well with hands.

Put skillet back on stove and heat to medium high (don´t add more oil) while forming the meat into balls the size of clementines, press slightly to flatten. Brown 2-3 min. on each side and transfer to paper towel lined plate.

In a small bowl gently mix the thinly sliced spring onions, the 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper and garlic with 3 tbsp of the “cream” skimmed off top of opened can of coconut milk. Sauté the vegetables and coconut “cream” mixture over medium low heat 3-4 min while stirring. Add rest of coconut milk, whisk until combined.

Place meat balls in a glass baking dish (I used a 10 inch pie plate) pour coconut milk sauce over meat balls and spoon it over any meat balls that are not completely covered. Cover with foil and bake at 190°C for 30-35 min. Take off foil for the last 5-10 min to thicken the sauce.

Serve on a bed of steamed cauliflower and wilted spinach or with a grain side dish. As mentioned above I liked the curry meatballs very much with Lorna Sass´s recipe for millet spinach pie.