[Indonesian Recipes] Meatballs (2024)

I love experimenting with different cuisines and using the spices and herbs that are commonly used in different areas, so today we’re travelling to Indonesia with these Bali Balls as I like to call them. The main flavor punches in this recipe are the lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves. They really make this dish and give the meatballs their wonderful aroma and flavor.

I decided to go with a chicken meatball here but beef or pork is great as well. The sauce is to die for, a creamy coconut sauce made with red chili paste, curry powder and of course infused with lots of flavor from the lime leaves and lemongrass. I could put that sauce on everything and drink it out of a glass, it’s so good.
Kaffir Leaves? Lemongrass?

I know that at home in Canada at least, these are two ingredients that aren’t cooked with all that often, which is a shame because they are such beautiful flavorful additions!
KAFFIR

Kaffir lime leaves can be found in the produce section of your grocery store near the lemongrass. If you can’t find any, just use regular lime juice. If you have any Asian markets nearby, you can always find them there.
LEMONGRASS

Lemongrass is a stiff grass native to India and is usually used as a herb in Asian Cuisine. It’s citrusy with a lemony flavor and it tastes like a mix of lemon and lemon mint. Lemongrass is also very fragrant. You’ll want to remove it before eating the dish.

Ingredients

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

MEATBALLS

Meat – We’re using ground chicken today for some nice light meatballs.
Breadcrumbs – I used panko today as it gives us a nice moist finished product. If you want to use a gluten free substitute for the panko breadcrumbs, substitute with 1/3 cup potato starch, also called potato flour.
Chili – I chopped up a fresh chili pepper to give this dish lots of heat. You can omit this ingredient if you’d prefer.
Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
Spices – Nutmeg and garam masala. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that gives these meatballs tons of dimension.

Red curry paste – We’re really bringing a ton of South East Asian influence to our dish today and this paste adds a touch of heat, color, and flavor.
Herbs – Chopped fresh cilantro and chopped green onion.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
Egg – The binder of our humble little meatballs!
Oil – I used peanut oil for frying these up, feel free to use any neutral tasting high smoke point oil you prefer.

SAUCE

Lemongrass – 2 stalks, removed before serving.
Kaffir lime leaves – 5 of them fresh. I never use up all the ones I buy in one recipe so I store the rest in the freezer.
Broth – Chicken broth low sodium.
Red curry paste – We want to ensure that our curry paste flavor makes its way through all elements of this dish.
Coconut milk – Unsweetened, whichever fat percentage you prefer.
Coconut – Sweetened and shredded, totally optional but completely delicious.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
Spices – Just curry powder for this part of the dish.
Cilantro – Cut up fresh. Feel free to omit this ingredient if you’re not a fan of the taste.

How To Make Indonesian Meatballs

MEATBALLS

Combine the meatballs: In a large bowl add all the meatball ingredients, except the peanut oil, and mix well using your clean hands. Shape the meat mixture into 1 inch meatballs. You should get around 40 meatballs.
Fry the meatballs: In a skillet heat the peanut oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry until golden all around, should take about 7 minutes. If your skillet isn’t large enough you may need to do this in a couple batches. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside

SAUCE

Prepare the lemongrass: Trim the top and base of the lemongrass stalks and peel off any dry or tough outer layers. Using a meat mallet, pound the lemongrass stalks until well bruised to release the flavor.

Combine the sauce: In the same skillet that was used to fry the meatballs add the chicken broth, red curry paste, unsweetened coconut milk, curry powder, salt, pepper, Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
Incorporate the meatballs: Add the meatballs back to the skillet, toss them around to cover them in the sauce, then cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered over medium-low heat. Remove the lemongrass and lime leaves from the sauce.

Finish the dish: If you’re adding the shredded coconut, add it now and stir. I added this for a bit of sweetness to the sauce, but this is totally optional. You could also add a tsp or so of brown sugar. Garnish with cilantro and serve over cooked rice.

RECIPE NOTES

The white sauce you see in the photos is some plain yogurt thinned with a bit of milk to make it easier to drizzle.
If you want to use a gluten free substitute for the panko breadcrumbs, substitute with 1/3 cup potato starch, also called potato flour.
Kaffir lime leaves can be found in the produce section of your grocery store near the lemongrass. If you can’t find any, just use regular lime juice.
* Lemongrass is a stiff grass native to India and is usually used as a herb in Asian Cuisine. Lemongrass is citrusy with a lemony flavor and it tastes like a mix of lemon and lemon mint. Lemongrass is also very fragrant.
Use as much red curry paste as you wish, some curry pastes may be spicier than others, so use your favorite brand and taste as you go along to adjust the spiciness level to what you prefer.
These meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
This recipe also freezes quite well so just be sure to separate the balls from the sauce in airtight containers and store. Each should last around 3 months frozen. Just allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove top when ready to eat!
Nutritional information assumes about 5 meatballs and sauce per serving.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

This recipe and image sources are referred in website:jocooks.com.Thanks so much!