Ginger-Braised Pork Meatballs in Coconut Broth

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Jenn Louis, chef at Lincoln Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, usually cooks at least one Asian-inspired meal a week. Here, she simmers gingery meatballs in a coconut milk–spiked chicken broth fragrant with lemongrass and lime. “This dish always makes me feel like I get a little vacation from what I normally eat at the restaurant.” Slideshow:  More Pork RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine Chefs' Easy Weeknight Dinners

Ginger-Braised Pork Meatballs in Coconut Broth
Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs
Yield:
6

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

  • 2 pounds ground pork

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3 tablespoons panko

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

BROTH

  • One 13 1/2-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

  • 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger

  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 2 fresh red Thai chiles, slit but kept intact, plus thinly sliced chiles for serving

  • 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, outer leaves removed and stalk cut into 1-inch lengths

  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lime

  • 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • Sugar

  • Kosher salt

  • Thinly sliced mint and cilantro leaves, lime wedges and steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Directions

Make the meatballs

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Form the mixture into forty 1 1/2-inch meatballs and arrange them on a large rimmed baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake until the meatballs are golden brown and just cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the broth

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the coconut milk, stock, ginger, garlic, slit chiles, lemongrass, lime zest and juice, fish sauce and turmeric. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so the broth is simmering. Discard the lemongrass. 3. Add the meatballs to the broth and simmer until cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes. Season the broth with more sugar, salt and lime juice if necessary. Serve with sliced herbs and Thai chiles, lime wedges and rice.

Make Ahead

The uncooked meatballs can be refrigerated on the baking sheet for up to 1 day.

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