If one person makes the meatballs and the other does the broth, it takes no effort at all to get this dish on the table. The broth is light and goes well with rice.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the meatballs
1 kilogram ground pork
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons salt
For the broth
400 grams coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chillies, thinly sliced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt
A few handfuls of baby spinach
Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl.
Form the mixture into 5-centimetre meatballs and arrange them on a large rimmed baking sheet about 3 centimetres.
Bake until the meatballs are golden brown and just cooked through, about 12 to 14 minutes.
To make the broth, combine the coconut milk, stock, ginger, garlic, chillies, lime zest and juice, fish sauce, turmeric and sugar in large pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so the broth is simmering. Simmer 10 minutes, until the flavours are infused into the broth.
Sieve the ingredients out of the broth and season to taste, if needed, with salt.
Add the meatballs to the broth, return to a simmer, cover, and simmer until cooked through and tender, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
Add spinach and cook just to wilt. Season the broth with more sugar, salt and lime juice if necessary. Serve with herbs, additional chillies, lime wedges and rice.
The uncooked meatballs can be refrigerated on a baking sheet for up to one day. The broth can also be prepared in advanced; it will keep for three days.
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.