Spicy chicken balls with chile and ginger sauce

ServeS 8

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dried apricots

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp brandy

1¾lb (800g) skinless boneless chicken

breasts, coarsely chopped

½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped

½ cup cooked long-grain rice

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh

sage leaves

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh

basil leaves

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh

flat-leaf parsley

2 fresh red Thai chile peppers,

seeded and chopped

1 large egg

olive oil or vegetable oil

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

For the chile and ginger sauce

juice of 4 limes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 fresh red Thai chile peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

1 scallion (green onion), thinly sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

1 small bunch watercress, broken into small sprigs, for garnish

Method:

1 Combine the apricots, honey, and brandy in a saucepan over mediumlow heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, cover, and simmer for 5–10 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Leave to cool a bit, cut the apricots into small dice and set aside.

2 Pulse the chopped chicken in a food processor for 15–20 seconds until the meat is minced (be careful not to turn it into a paste). Transfer to a bowl, and add the apricots, nuts, rice, garlic, herbs, chiles, and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well, and shape into walnut-size balls.

3 Heat oil in a wok or pan. Working in batches, deep-fry the balls for 5–10 minutes, until golden brown. Drain, and set aside to keep warm. To make the sauce, combine the lime juice, oil, chiles, and ginger in a jar. Seal, and shake until well mixed. When ready to serve, put all the spicy chicken balls on a warm serving platter, drizzle the sauce over the top, sprinkle with the scallion, and garnish with the cress. Serve immediately.

Spicy chicken balls with chile and ginger sauce