STICKY CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH COCONUT RICE

We have been using this recipe for a couple of years now. It is a great midweek dinner that seems to work for the whole family. It’s not an exact adherence to the original recipe as I like to make it a little healthier by using brown rice, but you do you - if you like white rice, go for it. The original recipe is from Donna Hay. She remains one of my all time favourite recipe developers - and I have kept all of her magazines. This recipe is from one of the issues from years ago…10 years maybe? Food trends come and go but great recipes stand the test of time. I wish Donna Hay would bring back her magazine - I love a food magazine so much more than an online recipe site.

Ingredients

Meatballs

500g chicken mince
2 tsps chopped fresh kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup oyster sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water

Rice

4 cups of brown rice cooked in the rice cooker
1/2 cup coconut milk

Start by getting your rice on to cook as this will take about the same time as the whole process of making and cooking the meatballs. We use a rice cooker and prefer to eat brown rice but the original recipe uses white rice - so I’ll leave that decision up to you and your tastebuds.

While the rice is cooking, in a large mixing bowl add the chicken mince, kaffir lime leaves, grated ginger, breadcrumbs and half the oyster sauce. Mix using your hands until it comes together. Roll into meatballs - depending on the size of your meatballs you should end up with about 16. Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Once browned, add the water and the remaining oyster sauce to the pan and let the chicken meatballs cook for another couple of minutes while the sauce reduces a little and becomes slightly sticky.

Once your rice is cooked, stir through the coconut milk.

Steam some veggies to add to the meal - broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrot, bok choy - whatever you enjoy.