Thai Chicken Meatballs

OMG—LOVE these! There are some fairly freaky ingredients here, but you don’t taste any ONE of them—you don’t taste the fish sauce, or the mint, or the cilantro—they all meld together and you just taste GOODNESS. Seriously, serve these on a fancy skewer at your next posh cocktail party and you will be a rock star, or better yet, make them for your kids and they will thank God (and you) for being born with taste buds. These are the bomb in Thai Hot and Sour Chicken Noodle Soup, too.

6 green onion, trimmed, dark green tops discarded, the rest roughly chopped

2” piece fresh ginger root, peeled, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled, roughly chopped

12 whole water chestnuts

A small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

8 mint leaves, roughly chopped

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 pound each, chicken thighs and chicken breasts, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons Nam Pla—Thai Fish Sauce (yes, it stinks—just do it!)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1 and ½ tablespoons corn flour (corn starch)

1) Place the first 5 ingredients into a food processor and work until chopped. Remove to a large mixing bowl. Now add the roughly chopped chicken, working in batches, place the roughly chopped chicken into the food processor and process until well chopped. Place all the minced chicken into the same mixing bowl as the herbs.

2) Add in the Nam Pla, sugar, soy sauce, salt and corn flour and mix with your hands to combine well. When you are done, wash hands well in hot soapy water (derrrrr). Place a teaspoon size amount of the chicken mixture onto a microwave-safe plate and nuke for about 20-30 second, until cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired. 

Lop the chicken mixture into a re-sealable tub and stash in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but up to one day, until ready to cook. Roll them with wet hands, to prevent sticking, then cook as you would any ‘ol meatball—bake, sauté, steam or simmer.