Coriander Chicken Meatballs in Coconut Broth
This recipe has been in my life for more than 25 years but it didn’t start out in this exact form. Originally, I would combine the mince, coconut milk and flavourings together in a bowl then scoop it into a mini muffin tin and bake off til the meat separated into loose balls. But I never felt like the recipe made use of its full potential.
This iteration fleshes the whole thing into a full meal. The well-washed coriander stems get incorporated into the meatballs and the leaves end up in the salad, so nothing gets wasted. You could fry the meatballs off separately but I poach them in the broth for fewer dishes. Keep it all low carb and serve as is or you can pair this back with some rice or noodles. Level things up with slices of lime and/or chilli if you have them to hand.
ingredients
- 600gm chicken mince
- 1 bunch coriander, soaked and rinsed well (stems finely chopped for meatballs, tops for salad)
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- salt, to taste
- ground white pepper, to taste
- 400ml can coconut milk
- ⅓ cup oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
Coriander Salad
- coriander leaves
- ¼ red onion rings, quick pickled
- ½ carrot julienned
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin
method
Combine the chicken, coriander stems, garlic, onion powder and a little salt and ground white powder and mix well. Form into balls each just smaller than a golf ball. It’s easier to do this with wet hands. Set aside while you make the broth.
Into a wide saucepan, pour in the coconut milk, oyster sauce and fish sauce then stir over low heat until it comes together. Adjust the heat level to medium-low then lower in the meatballs. They’ll only take a few minutes to cook through unless you make them bigger, then they’ll take longer. Whatever you decide, cut one in half to check they’re cooked.
Making a salad with the coriander tops means nothing is wasted. Add in some quick pickled red onion, julienned carrot and red onion then toss this all in some sesame oil, mirin, and sesame seeds for a job well done. Shredded cabbage works too as would daikon and bean sprouts.