Thai Chicken Meatballs in a Red Curry Coconut Sauce with Sautéed Bok Choy and Rice Noodles (Khao Soi)

The perfect quick dinner for a chilly night. Filling and fresh. Sprinkled with basil, cilantro, radishes and green onions and finished with a squeeze of lime. Thai food is always the ultimate fresh, healthy easy weeknight meal. With the Miami gardens in full force, it is so easy just to go out and pick any variety of herbs to add flavor to this soup. I added 3 different baby boy choy including Baker Heirloom Seeds Mini Purple Bok Choy. But any Bok Choy will do. This meal can be made with only 15 minutes of prep time and then it needs only 15 minutes to simmer. It will become your favorite. The original recipe was from one of my favorite sites Half Baked Harvest. I just added and changed a few things to my preference and added rice noodles to make it gluten free.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

A variety of Japanese Bok Choy from the garden. Purple Lady, Tak Soi, Milk Baby Bok Choy and a Japanese Spinach Flavored Swiss Chard. Of course, any simple grocery store Bok Choy will work in this recipe. But sharing these, in case your a gardener looking for an easy to grown new variety.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

2 green onions, sliced thin

1 Tbs freshly grated ginger (about 1 inch)

1 clove garlic, minced

Black pepper

3 Tbs Olive oil

4 baby boy choy or kale chopped

¼ cup Thai red curry paste, I have also used Massaman Curry for a milder sauce

2 14 oz cans full-fat coconut milk

3 cups chicken broth

3 Tbs fish sauce

1 Tbs honey or brown sugar

Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Fresh Basil, chopped

8 oz Rice noodles, cooked to package directions. Sometimes I buy them frozen and ready at Asian Food Markets

For Serving:

Lime Wedges

Radishes, sliced

Carrots, shredded

Green onions, sliced

Avocado, cut into slices

Thin slivers of raw sweet red bell pepper

Sambel Olek or Garlic Chili sauce on the side for spice

Directions:

1. Toss the chicken in a bowl with the green onions, garlic, ginger and pepper. Do not overtax. It will become too dense. Coat your hands with oil. Roll the meat into small balls about the size of a tablespoon.

2. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Warm 2 Tbs of the oil. Sear the meatballs turning them a few times to brown all sides.

3. Remove the cooked meatballs to a separate plate and reserve. Cut your baby boy choy in half. Sear the bok choy cut side down for just a minute or two. Remove to a plate and reserve.

4. Add 1 Tbs of oil to the pan. Stir in the curry paste and toast it just 2 minutes on low heat. Pour in the coconut milk, stir in the fish sauce and honey. Return the meatballs and the bok choy to the pan and simmer for about 5-8 minutes to thoroughly cook the meatballs.

5. Prepare your noodles while you are simmering the meatballs. The size of your noodles will determine the cooking time. So follow package directions.

6. Divide the noodles into serving bowls. Pour the soup over the noodles. Squeeze a slice of lime over each bowl. This is essential . It really finishes the soup and it is just not the same without it.

7. Top the bowls with the chopped green onions, carrots, radishes, avocado, chopped cilantro and basil. I like to serve these items alongside so that guests or family can choose how much they want of each. Serve the hot sauce on the side.