Thai red curry meatballs

This recipe takes inspiration from Thai red curry (kaeng phet) and a South Asian kofta curry (Indian meatball curry). The result? Juicy meatballs slathered in a rich, Thai red curry sauce – serve with plenty of rice on the side!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

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Ingredients

• 500 g turkey or pork mince
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• ½ tsp fish sauce, plus 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 225 g can bamboo shoots, drained
• 150 g green beans, trimmed and halved
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• ½ cup basil leaves
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 large red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 400 g can light coconut milk
• ¼ cup (60 ml) water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the mince, ginger, garlic, spring onion, ½ tsp fish sauce and breadcrumbs and mix well to combine. Shape into level tablespoons and roll into meatballs.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then sear the meatballs for 3 minutes, or until just golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside. To make the sauce, return the pan to the heat and add the curry paste and capsicum. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then pour in the coconut milk and water. Bring to the boil.
   
3. Return the meatballs to the pan with the bamboo shoots, green beans, 1 tsp fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar, adding more or less to your taste preference. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
   
4. To serve, season the sauce to taste with a squeeze of lime juice (save some wedges to serve!), then tear in the basil leaves. Sprinkle with the spring onion and serve the Thai Red Curry meatballs with steamed rice and the reserved lime wedges.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Freestyle Dinner

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G