We hope you enjoy our cookery column with chef Paul Watters who each week will take the fear out of cooking with his easy to follow recipes...
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the pork meatballs
400g pork mince
1–1½ tbsp Thai red curry paste (to taste)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornflour (or breadcrumbs)
Neutral oil, for frying
For the salad
150g flat rice noodles
1 carrot, julienned
½ cucumber, finely sliced
Handful of coriander leaves (and stalks if you like)
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Handful of fresh mint (optional but great)
50–70g roasted cashew nuts
Dressing
2 tbsp fish sauce
1½ tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1–2 tsp chilli oil or fresh chilli (optional)
Method
1. Make the meatballs
in a bowl, mix the pork mince, red curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and cornflour until just combined.
Roll into small bite-size meatballs.
Heat a pan with a little oil and fry the meatballs over medium heat, turning until golden and cooked through (about 8–10 minutes). Set aside.
2. Cook the noodles
Soak or cook the rice noodles according to packet instructions. Drain well and rinse briefly with cold water to stop them sticking.
3. Make the dressing.
Whisk all dressing ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Taste — it should be salty, sour, sweet with a little heat.
4. Build the salad
in a large bowl, toss the noodles with carrot, cucumber, spring onion, herbs and half the cashews.
Add the warm meatballs and spoon over the dressing. Toss gently.
5. Finish and serve.
Top with remaining cashews, extra coriander, a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of chilli flakes if you like heat.
Paul’s tips
Want it extra glossy like the photo? Add 1 tsp honey to the dressing.
Works brilliantly with peanut oil instead of sesame for a deeper nutty note.
Leftover meatballs are also beautiful and can be used as a snack and gently warm and serve with sweet chilli sauce.
Enjoy!
