Thai Meatball Banh Mi

This is a fantastic recipe, packed full of flavour, and the chillies give it plenty of heat so be warned!  It’s quick and easy which is exactly how we like it. This recipe is so tasty you will be making it time and time again.  Fish sauce may not be to everyone’s taste but trust me, you need it in this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 medium red chillies, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 spring onions, (finely chop 4, reserve 1)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 450g minced pork
• 2 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 baguettes
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• Handful of rocket
• Rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• · Lime wedges
• Sweet chilli sauce

Method

Place the pork into a medium mixing bowl and add the honey, fish sauce, 4 sliced spring onions, garlic, lemongrass, cornflour, mint, coriander and one sliced chilli. 

Mix until well combined and then form into 20 balls and place onto a baking tray in the fridge for around an hour to firm up.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.  Place the meatballs onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 30 minutes until cooked through.

Whilst the meatballs are cooking you can pickle your vegetables. Thinly slice the remaining spring onion and place in a bowl with the carrot. Cover with rice wine vinegar and add the sugar. Leave for at least 15 minutes.

When the meatballs are cooked, slice open your baguettes, fill with rocket then top with the meatballs and garnish with your pickled vegetables and the remaining red chilli.

Drizzle with the chilli sauce and place the lime wedges on the side to squeeze over the baguette.

Mark’s Top Tip

When chopping larger herbs such as mint, place the leaves on top of each other and roll into a small cigarette shape. Finely slice from one end to the other. It makes the chopping quicker and easier.

Peter’s Attempt

A big thank you to HYELM resident Peter Nemeth for sharing his video and review of himself preparing Thai Meatball Banh Mi. You can see Peter in action below.

Mark’s Verdict

All I can say is wow, I’m thinking someone must be a chef, they did an amazing job. I loved the video, clearly they know what they are doing and think I need an invite once things ease up!  They look so fresh and tasty, has to be a definite 10 from me, well done!