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Thai Red Curry Meatballs

Thai Red Curry Meatballs reads umami 8.3, richness 5.3 and funk & ferment 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 36 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 5.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.3 · Richness 5.3 · Funk & Ferment 5.2 · Salinity 5.1 · Citrus 4.5 · Marine & Briny 4.1 · Sourness 4.1 · Herbaceous 3.7 · Sweetness 3.6 · Allium 3.1 · Warm Spice 2.9 · Nutty 2.3 · Floral 1.8 · Heat 1.7 · Fruity 1.6 · Earthy 1.5 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (16)

• pork — 454 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• green onions — 330 g
• fish sauce — 30 g
• salt — 5 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• yellow curry — 59 g
• coconut milk — 383 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• brown sugar — 13 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• lime — 65 g
• basil — 30 g

Time & effort: about 36 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 149.1 kcal, 6.8 g protein, 10.8 g fat, 7.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, panko, egg, half the garlic, half the ginger, the white parts of the green onions, 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, and the salt. Mix gently until just combined, then shape into 16 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches each.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, sear the meatballs until browned on all sides, 5-6 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate (they won't be fully cooked yet).
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining garlic, remaining ginger, and the curry paste to the same skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly, about 2 minutes.
4. Whisk in the coconut milk and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining tablespoon of fish sauce, and bring to a simmer.
5. Return the meatballs to the skillet along with the bell pepper. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs reach 160°F in the center and the sauce has thickened slightly, 10-12 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust with a little more salt or fish sauce if needed.
7. Top with the torn basil and the green parts of the green onions, and serve hot over rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Coconut Curry Shrimp — Thai
• Yellow Curry Chicken and Potatoes — Thai
• Thai Coconut Turkey Meatballs in Red Curry — Thai
• Thai Coconut Curry Mussels — Thai
• Coconut Curry Shrimp Pasta — Fusion

Keep reading: what umami, richness, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.