Thai cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Look Chin Ping

Springy beef meatballs, first poached, then grilled on skewers and tossed in a sweet-spicy sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g ground beef
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 ml ice water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tsp chili flakes
• 8 wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 min; knead the ground beef vigorously with salt, white pepper and two grated garlic cloves for 5 min until the mixture turns sticky.
2. Work in the cornstarch, baking powder and ice water gradually, then beat the mixture in a mixer for 2 min into a smooth, glossy paste – this gives the typical springy texture.
3. With wet hands, shape into about 24 balls of 3 cm and poach in just-simmering salted water for 6–8 min until they rise to the surface and are firm.
4. Shock the balls in cold water, drain well, and thread three per skewer.
5. For the sauce, finely chop the remaining garlic cloves and simmer with sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar, chili flakes and 3 tbsp water for 3–4 min until it turns syrupy and glossy.
6. Grill the skewers over strong embers or in a grill pan for 2–3 min per side until dark blisters form, basting repeatedly with the sauce, and serve hot.