12998 Serves 8 Wed Aug 06 08:16:40 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 08:58:20 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12998 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:58:20 GMT This popular dish, often sold by street vendors, is also served with drinks or as a side dish in a Thai dinner. The rich curry-peanut sauce complements the mild taste of the beef meatballs. Although nontraditional, Belgian endive leaves or shrimp crackers make an attractive and practical scoop with which to eat the meatballs and sauce.

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Combine the ground beef, garlic, pepper, and salt and mix well. Shape into thirty-two 1-inch [2.5-cm] balls and roll them in the rice flour, dusting off any excess. (The meatballs can be made several hours in advance and stored, refrigerated, covered with plastic film.)

Heat a skillet to medium-high and add 2 tablespoons [30 mL] of the oil. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute, then add the meatballs. Cook the meatballs, turning them occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs and drain on paper towels. Reserve and keep warm. (The meatballs can be cooked 1 day in advance and stored, refrigerated.)

Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon [15 mL] of oil and the red curry paste in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the coconut cream and the peanut butter. Stir to incorporate. Simmer, while stirring, until a smooth consistency is obtained.

Add the fish sauce and sugar, then the reserved meatballs. Simmer over low heat, while stirring, for 5 minutes.

Serve 4 meatballs per person, on plates or in small bowls. Top with any remaining sauce.

Place endive leaves or prepared shrimp crackers on the side. Garnish with mint leaves and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.

Place the toasted coriander, cumin, and black pepper in an electric spice grinder and grind very fine.

Drain the chiles and reserve the soaking water. Place the cilantro, galangal, garlic, and shallots in the bowl of a processor and blend into a paste.

Add the reserved ground spices, lemongrass, lime zest, salt, and shrimp paste and blend again.

Add the drained chiles and process, adding some of the reserved chile soaking water to process to a smooth paste. Store in a sealed glass jar, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.

]]> http://www.chow.com Arthur L. Meyer 50 Main 1¼ pounds [560 g] lean ground beef

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] minced garlic

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] black pepper

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] salt

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] rice flour

]]> 3 tablespoons [45 mL] peanut oil

]]> 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] red curry paste (krung gaeng deng) (see Chef Notes)

]]> 2 cups [480 mL] thick coconut cream from top of unshaken cans of coconut milk

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] chunky peanut butter

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

]]> 1½ tablespoons [25 mL] palm or light brown sugar

]]> Belgian endive leaves or prepared shrimp crackers, for scooping

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] mint leaves, for garnish

]]> 2 tablespoons [30 mL] dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped, for garnish

]]> 1 cup [240 mL] dried red Thai chiles, stems and seeds removed, soaked ½ hour in warm water

]]> 1½ tablespoons [25 mL] coriander seeds, dry toasted

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] cumin seeds, dry toasted

]]> ¼ teaspoon [1 mL] black peppercorns, dry toasted

]]> 2 stalks lemongrass, finely minced, ground into a paste in a spice grinder

]]> 1 tablespoon [15 mL] cilantro stems, chopped

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] galangal, diced

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] minced wild lime zest, or 1 teaspoon lime zest combined with 2 makroot leaves, very finely minced

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] peeled garlic cloves, diced fine

]]> ¼ cup [60 mL] shallots, diced fine

]]> 1 teaspoon [5 mL] salt

]]> ½ tablespoon [8 mL] shrimp paste

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