Xinjiang Style Lamb Meatballs

By: Deborah Dean

Ingredients

800g lamb shoulder, finely minced
20g fresh ginger, finely grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp sea salt
1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander stems
1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion whites
1 tsp finely grated kaffir lime zest
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp neutral oil for cooking
TAMARIND CUMIN GLAZE
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1½ tbsp palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp water
NAM JIM JAEW
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1 tsp palm sugar, finely shaved
1 tbsp toasted rice powder
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 tbsp finely sliced spring onion greens
1 cup dried Jasmine rice
To Serve: Mixed salad of 1 small Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced, ½ small red onion, finely sliced, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, ½ cup Thai basil leaves, ½ cup fresh coriander leaves, 1 lime, cut into slices. Sesame seeds to garnish.

Rinse jasmine rice under cold water until clear. Cook using your preferred method and keep warm.
In a large bowl, combine 800g lamb mince, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli flakes and sichuan pepper.
Add fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, coriander stems, spring onion whites, kaffir lime zest and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly for 2–3 minutes until slightly sticky.
Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll into 24 evenly sized meatballs.
Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs for 10–12 minutes, turning frequently, until well browned and cooked through. Time is dependant on size of your meatballs.
Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer gently until slightly thickened and glossy.
Brush the glaze over the meatballs in the final 2 minutes of cooking, turning to coat evenly. Allow the glaze to lightly caramelise. Remove from pan.
In a seperate bowl, whisk together all Nam Jim Jaew ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
Divide meatballs evenly between plates. Generously top the meatballs with fresh salad & sprinkle with sprinkle with sesame seeds Serve with Nam Jim Jaew and jasmine rice on the side with lime wedges.