Spicy Thai Meatballs

These spicy meatballs add an Asian twist to an old favourite.

You’ll Need:
For the spice mixture:
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
½ Tbsp cumin seeds

For the spiced yogurt-mint sauce:
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup Greek-style or whole-milk yogurt
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the meatballs:
About 3 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced (about ½ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 oz ground chuck
5 oz ground lamb
1 generous cup dried breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp Greek-style or whole-milk yogurt
1 large egg

Directions:

1. Make the spice mixture: In a small skillet, mix the coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds over low heat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are fragrant. Be careful not to let them burn. Remove from the heat and finely grind them in a small spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
2. Make the yogurt sauce: Put the mint in the container of a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the yogurt, about 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste for seasoning; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The sauce can be made 1 day ahead of time.
3. Make the meatballs: In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, mix the ground chuck, ground lamb, 2/3 cup of the breadcrumbs, the yogurt, egg, the remaining spice mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Use your hands or a spoon to thoroughly mix all the meat and onion mixtures so everything is fully incorporated.
5. Place the remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs on a plate. Use about 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture to form each meatball; they should be about 1 inch in diameter. Roll the meatballs in the breadcrumbs a few at a time, being careful to shake off any excess breadcrumbs, and place on a baking sheet. Add more breadcrumbs to the plate, if needed. You should have 30 meatballs. You can make the meatballs several hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate.
6. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Test to make sure the oil is hot-a fleck of breadcrumbs should sizzle right up. Cook about 10 meatballs at a time for 7 minutes, turning them from side to side, until they are golden brown on all sides and cooked through (cut one open to check-go ahead and eat it if it’s cooked through with no sign of pinkness). Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining meatballs. You shouldn’t need any excess oil, but add another tablespoon of oil if the skillet seems dry. Place the drained meatballs on a baking sheet with sides and put them in the warm oven to keep hot. Repeat with the remaining meatballs and serve hot with the yogurt sauce on the side.

Serves 8-10.

Tips:

• The meatballs can be made ahead of time and reheated in a 300-degree oven for about five minutes, or until warm.
• The spiced yogurt-mint sauce can be made a day ahead of time.
• The recipe can easily be doubled for a party.

Excerpted from Stonewall Kitchen Appetizers: Finger Foods and Small Plates by Jonathan King, Jim Stott and Kathy Gunst. Copyright © 2010 by authors. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book!