Asian pork balls with Swiss chard in a sweet and sour chicken broth

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Ang 5777

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Ingredients

  • 8-10 chicken wings
  • 2 stems lemongrass, bashed flat to release the flavour
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves
  • 50g galangal, washed and roughly chopped
  • 8 spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 2tsp kapi (Thai shrimp paste)
  • juice of 1 lime

For the pork balls

  • 2 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stem, finely chopped
  • 8 pink Asian shallots, finely chopped
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, central stem removed and finely chopped
  • 2tbsp fish sauce
  • 500g pork mince
  • 1⁄2tsp ground turmeric
  • 1tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 20g coriander leaves, thick stems discarded and leaves finely chopped

For the chard

  • 250g small Swiss chard
  • 1tbsp sunflower oil
  • 100g cooked rice noodles
  • lemon slices, to serve

Method

Swiss chard has thick white stems that are perfect for this dish, as they stay nice and crunchy. The pork balls and chard could be served with the noodles on their own too, without making the broth.

Start the day before by making the broth. Put the chicken wings in a large saucepan and cover with 1.75 litres cold water. Add the other ingredients except the kapi and lime juice. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, half cover and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour.

Add the kapi and cook for a further 30 minutes. Strain into a bowl and, when cold, put in the fridge overnight. The next day, scoop off any fat that has risen to the surface and reheat gently.

Make the pork balls the day before while the stock is bubbling. Put the garlic, lemongrass, Asian shallots, lime leaves and fish sauce in a mini processor and blitz to a fine purée.

Put the pork mince in a bowl. Add the purée, turmeric, black pepper, chilli, chopped coriander and a little salt (not too much as the fish sauce will contribute to saltiness). Mix with your hands to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Form the mixture into 16 balls, put on a plate, cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

The next day, while the broth is reheating, fry the pork balls in the oil on a medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning them so they become evenly golden; lift onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Prepare the chard by removing most of the fat white stems. Cut them into 2cm lengths and halve any large leaves lengthways. Heat the oil for the chard in a wok and stir-fry the white stems for 2 minutes on a medium heat. Add the leaves, put on a lid and cook for 3 minutes. Lift out and transfer them to the broth, along with the pork balls. Add the lime juice to the broth just before serving.

Put the noodles in a bowl and pour over boiling water to reheat; drain and divide among 4 serving dishes. Top with the pork balls, chard and broth.

Recipes and Food Styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and Prop Styling: Angela Dukes.
Ang 5777
Recipes and Food Styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and Prop Styling: Angela Dukes.

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