Ingredients
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 inch cube shrimp paste
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1lb lean minced beef
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp dark brown sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
a little beaten egg
oil for shallow-frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
Directions
Put the onions, chilies, garlic and shrimp paste in a food processor. Process but do not over-chop or the onion will become too wet and spoil the consistency of the meatballs. Dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a preheated pan for about 1 minute, to release the aroma. Do not brown. Grind with pestle and mortar. Put the meat in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture. Add the ground coriander and cumin, soy sauce, seasoning, sugar and lemon juice. Bind with a little beaten egg and shape into small, even-size balls. Chill the meatballs briefly to firm up, if necessary. Fry in shallow oil, turning often, until cooked through and browned. This will take 4-5 minutes, depending on their size. Remove from the pan, drain well on kitchen paper and serve, garnished with coriander sprigs. Remove from the pan, drain well on kitchen paper and serve, garnished with coriander sprigs.
