Meatball Curry

The first time I had this my sister made it for me.  I was a little skeptical; meatballs + curry?  I can't tell you what a pleasant surprise it was!  Wow!  I was impressed!  I love the delicious flavors of this meatball curry!  The spices combine so well together to make a flavorful dish.  It's easy to put together and my kids gobble it up!  Prepare all of your ingredients first before you begin cooking so you're ready to add them while cooking.

The original recipe is from Aarti Sequeira on Food Network.  You can find that here.  I make smaller meatballs than she recommends so there are more meatballs for my kids.  I also cut down on the cayenne pepper so it's not too hot.  I omit the water so the sauce is a little thicker as well.

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1 green Serrano chile or Anaheim chile, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt

Curry:

3 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
1 cup onions, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-inch piece) ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1 (14-ounce can) coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice (about half a lime)

For the meatballs:  

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, chile, ginger, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt together using your hands until just combined.  Make 32 balls.  Divide the mixture in half and place on 2 paper plates.  Make 16 balls with each portion. 

For the curry:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the coconut oil until nearly smoking. Add the mustard seeds, covering the pan with a lid so you don't get popping seeds all over you.

When the spluttering subsides, add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook until golden brown. Then add the ground coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir, and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, and salt and bring to boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the meatballs. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

To finish, add the cilantro and lime juice. Shake the pan gently to mix them in, and then taste for seasoning. Serve over rice or over spaghetti!