SRI LANKA: Meatball Curry, Stir-Fried Spicy String Beans, and Green Chili Coconut Sambal with Rice

If Thai food and Indian food had a love child, it would be Sri Lankan cuisine. This meal was such a fabulous mix of rich Indian spices and bright Thai aromatics. Like with Somalia, it had me on a hunt for authentic Sri Lankan food nearby. Sadly, I could find none in the Boston area. While I plan to seek one out next time I am in NYC, I am glad I have a few Sri Lanka recipes under my belt.

Meatball Curry

Meatballs

2 lbs ground pork

2 slices white bread, optional [see Note]

¼ milk, optional [see Note]

3 cloves garlic

4 sprigs cilantro

1½ tablespoons grated ginger

2 teaspoons Sri Lankan curry powder OR 1½ teaspoons garam masala + ¼ teaspoon turmeric + ¼ 2

½ teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

Curry Sauce

1 tablespoon coconut or canola oil

½ medium onion*

2 serrano or red long hot chilis*

1½ tablespoons grated ginger*

1 tablespoonSri Lankan curry powder OR 12 teaspoons garam masala + ½ teaspoon turmeric + ½ teaspoon coriander

¼-½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili or cayenne pepper, to taste

1½ teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ cup coconut milk, about ½ can

½ lime

*If making the string beans, you can partner these ingredients, ie preparing twice as much then dividing for the two dishes.

NOTE: It is not traditional to soak bread in milk to add to the meatballs in Sri Lanka, although has been more commonly done there as the world has flattened. This preparation leads to a more tender and moist meatball.

Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. If using bread and milk, tear the bread into small pieces and place in a shallow bowl. Pour milk overtop to let soak for 5 minutes.

3. Place the pork in a large bowl. Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro. Add both to the bowl. Add remainder of meatball ingredients to the bowl, including the soaked bread if using, and mix well, using your hands if need be.

4. Roll meatballs into golfball sizes balls, wetting your hands with water from time to time if the mixture is too sticky. Place on half-sheet.

5. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160° F.

Curry Sauce

1. While meatballs are baking, place the oil in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat.

2. Chop the onions and add to the oil. Sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions start to turn translucent. While they cook, mince the chilis. Add the chilis and ginger to the pot and sauté 2 additional minutes. Add in the curry powder or curry powder mixture and chili powder, coriander, and sugar, and stir for 1 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. When the meatballs are basked through, squeeze the juice from half the lime into the curry sauce, then add the meatballs to the mixture and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

4. Serve over cooked rice.

Stir-Fried Spicy String Beans

1 tablespoon coconut or canola oil

½ medium onion*

2 serrano or red long hot chilis*

1½ tablespoons grated ginger*

1 garlic cloves

1 tablespoonSri Lankan curry powder OR 12 teaspoons garam masala + ½ teaspoon turmeric + ½ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon Maldive fish or 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon Sri Lankan curry powder OR ½ teaspoon garam masala + dash coriander + dash turmeric

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

12 oz string green beans

½ cup full fat coconut milk or cream

Salt to taste

*If making the meatball curry, you can partner these ingredients, ie preparing twice as much then dividing for the two dishes.

1. Add oil to a 12 inch skillet tor sauté pan and heat over over medium high. While it heats, slice the onion into long slices (if using with the curry meatballs, you can use chop rather than slice). Add to the hot oil and sauté, about 5 minutes.

2. Mince the garlic and chili peppers. Add them to the skillet along with the ginger. Sauté for a couple of minutes to soften the garlic.

3. Next, ddd the turmeric, Maldive fish or fish sauce, sugar, curry powder or curry powder mixture, and crushed red pepper. Stir fry with the onions for 2 – 5 minutes. If the mixture starts to burn or stick, add in a tablespoon or two of water.

4. Trim the beans and cut in half. Add the beans to the pan. Stir fry over high heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the beans turn a bright green color and are coated with the spices.

5. Pour in the coconut milk, and lower the heat to medium. Keep stir frying, until the coconut milk has completely evaporated.

6. The beans should still be bright green and al dente. If you want the beans to be softer, add more coconut milk or water, and cook further to soften the beans.

Green Chili Coconut Sambal

1½ unsweetened shredded/grated coconut

2 teaspoon Maldive fish or ½ teaspoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons chopped onion or shallot*

1 serrano or jalapeño chili, stemmed and seeded

½ lime

*My family does not like raw onion, so we omitted this.

1. Place coconut, fish sauce, onion or shallot if using, and chili in a small food processor. Squeeze juize of lime over top. Pulse until fully combined. Serve as a condiment with curry and rise dishes.

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FUN FACTS:

• In July 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, won the general election and became the first woman prime minister in the world. She then won repeated elections and served until 2000.

• The Sri Lankan flag, popularly known as the Lion Flag, is one of the world's oldest flags. While the lion on it dates back to 486BC, a version of the current glad can be traced back to 162 BC.

• Cinnamon originated in Sri Lanka and was discovered by the Egyptians.