Sarah Warsi

Hi friends! As I continue to evolve my blog, I am delighted to venture into the wonderful world of cooking! This new extension of my blog is meant to take my beloved readers through my personal cooking journey.

Now, I have to say that I am no Master Chef – not by a long shot! However, I do take pride in cooking to the best of my ability. I’ve gotten better at following recipes over time and even have the confidence to add in my own flavour every now and again! 😀

This new food section – aptly titled Cooking with Sarah will simply be a collection of my personal favourite dishes ranging from a wide variety of cultures and in no particular order. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

The first dish in this new section will be none other than:

Coconut Chicken Meatball Curry with Rice

I came across this delightful dish on none other than good old Instagram. As soon as I saw it, I was immediately smitten and wanted to try it out myself, and boy am I glad I did! If you like flavour and spice with a hint of coconut and lime, you will love this dish.

This dish serves about 4 people (of course you can adjust the ingredients to make more or less).

Key Ingredients

The Solids

*1 pound ground chicken or turkey (I used chicken when I made this)

2 cups white Jasmine rice

4 green onions finely chopped

1 yellow onion chopped

1 bell pepper (colour of your choice), chopped. I happened to use red bell peppers in mine.

4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced or grated

2 cups of yellow corn (this can be optional as I don’t think it takes away from the overall taste, but certainly add it if you have it)

5-6 Red Thai chilli peppers whole and rinsed with the stems cut off (optional, leave out if you prefer lesser heat).

1/2 a lime juiced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro and basil (if you only have one of these, it will do, but both are ideal)

Kosher salt or regular salt and pepper

The Liquids

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (Side note: I would fail in a spelling bee if I had to spell that out!)

2 teaspoons vegetable or extra virgin olive oil

1/4 Thai red curry paste

1 can (399 ml) full-fat coconut milk (this is a key ingredient – a must-have)

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

**1/4 cup peanut butter

3 tablespoons (or more if preferred) of soya sauce

2 teaspoons honey

* If you have a meat grinder, I recommend buying the chicken or turkey breast or thigh whole and grinding it yourself. It’s a bit more work, but the meat will be leaner.

**The peanut butter is optional. I had this dish with and without it and didn’t see much of a distinction. Plus, if you have an allergy to peanuts, you must certainly do NOT want to include this.

Making the Magic Happen

Okay, so as I post more content in this section, I’ll make sure to have more imagery of the actual process of making the dish. For now, all I have is the finished product and instructions. 🙂

1) First things first, take two cups of white Thai Jasmine rice, rinse thoroughly, and boil in salt water. Drain, cover and set aside. I personally prefer Jasmine rice because of its natural aroma and stickiness when cooked. Basmati rice could work as a substitute if you don’t have Jasmine rice.

2) While the rice is cooking, begin preparing the meatballs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add in some chopped green onions for added colour and flavour. Before you begin mixing, toss in a dash of Worcestershire sauce. This gives the meat a subtle yet substantial zing. 

3) Once you’ve formed the meatballs, sear them on medium-high heat with vegetable or extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet until nicely browned on all sides. Once done, remove the meatballs from the skillet, transfer them onto a plate and keep them aside. 

Now for the star of the show: the Sauce

4) In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed, and then add the onions and bell peppers. Stir and cook them until they are softened. 

5) Now stir in the garlic, ginger and Thai curry paste. These are the key ingredients that will really add that flavour and colour to your dish. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes until the beautiful aroma hits your nostrils. (Mmmmmm)

6) Now add the broth, coconut milk, honey, and if desired, the peanut butter to help form and thicken the sauce. As mentioned before, coconut milk is key to acquiring that richness in the sauce.

7) Add the meatballs back in and the corn and stir to combine everything. Once the desired thickness for the sauce is reached, remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside. Top with fresh cilantro and basil and half a lime and let it for a few minutes to allow all the juices and flavour to settle in.

8) Divide the portions with the rice and serve.

Bon Appetit!

This dish is best eaten as soon as possible to really savour the richness of the sauce before it absorbs into the rice or rice noodles. It is guaranteed to be a hit with your friends and family. 

If you happen to try this out, please let me know in the comments how you liked it. =)

Thank you for joining me on my cooking journey!