Meatballs in curry sauce with coconut milk

Ingredients

• 450 gminced pork, 8–12% fat
• 1 tsptable salt
• 1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 1egg
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 75 mlplain flour
• 100–150 mlwhole milk
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 1apple
• 2 tbspoil
• 1 tbspcurry powder
• 1coconut milk
• 200–300 mlcooking water from the meatballs
• 1 tbspgravy thickener
• 1 tspcooking salt
• 1 tsppepper
• 400 mlparboiled rice
• 600 mlwater
• 1 tspcooking salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the meat

   Stir the minced pork with the table salt. Add the pepper, egg, first chopped onion and flour, then mix in the milk.

2. 2

   Rest the mixture

   Cover the meat mixture and leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Shape the meatballs

   Use a tablespoon dipped in boiling water to shape the mixture into meatballs.

4. 4

   Cook the meatballs

   Bring lightly salted water to a gentle boil in a wide pan. Cook the meatballs for about 8–10 minutes, then lift them out and keep the cooking water for the sauce.

5. 5

   Make the curry sauce

   Heat the oil in a pan or sauté pan and cook the second chopped onion and apple in it. Stir in the curry powder and let it cook briefly. Add 200–300 ml of the meatball cooking water and the coconut milk, then bring the sauce to a boil. Thicken with gravy thickener to your preferred consistency, then season with cooking salt, pepper and extra curry powder if desired.

6. 6

   Cook the rice

   Bring the rice, 600 ml water and 1 tsp cooking salt to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook for 12–14 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave the rice to stand for a further 12–14 minutes before serving.

What are meatballs in curry sauce?

This Danish-style family meal pairs pork meatballs with a curry sauce and rice, bringing together familiar meatball cookery and flavours associated with Asian-inspired curry dishes. The recipe’s combination of apple, onion and coconut milk gives the sauce a rounded, gently sweet character.

The meatballs cook in water rather than being browned, and some of that cooking liquid goes into the sauce. That makes the reserved water an important part of the dish, not something to pour away.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 224 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The rice is the main source of carbohydrate, while the pork and coconut milk contribute much of the protein and fat respectively. A serving of vegetables alongside the meatballs and rice adds variety and helps balance the plate.

Building the meatball mixture

Salt first: stirring the pork with salt before adding the other ingredients starts the mixture evenly seasoned. Add the egg, finely chopped onion and flour, then mix in the milk.

Milk gradually: the recipe gives a range of 100–150 ml, so add it while stirring and stop when the mixture is cohesive enough to shape. A 30-minute rest in the fridge helps it firm up.

Poaching the meatballs

Wide pan: cook the meatballs in lightly salted water in a pan with a broad surface, as the method specifies. Shape them with a tablespoon dipped in boiling water to help the mixture release from the spoon.

Gentle timing: simmer the meatballs for about 8–10 minutes. Lift them out when cooked through, and measure out 200–300 ml of their cooking water for the sauce.

Getting the curry sauce right

Apple and onion: soften both in oil before adding the curry powder. Let the curry cook briefly with them so it is incorporated into the sauce base.

Coconut milk: add it with the reserved cooking water and bring the sauce through a boil. Stir in the gravy thickener gradually enough to reach the consistency you prefer, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Cooking the rice

Boil and simmer: bring the rice, water and salt to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 12–14 minutes. Keep the heat low while the rice cooks.

Rest off the heat: after cooking, switch off the hob and leave the rice covered or undisturbed for another 12–14 minutes before serving. This gives the grains time to finish absorbing moisture.

Serving the meal

Serve the rice alongside the meatballs and spoon the curry sauce over or around them. The rice provides a mild base for the creamy, spiced sauce.

For a more balanced plate, add a simple vegetable side such as steamed greens or a crisp salad. Keep the sauce and meatballs together so each portion gets some of the reserved cooking-liquid flavour.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chill the meat mixture for at least 30 minutes so it is easier to shape.
• Dip the tablespoon in boiling water between meatballs to reduce sticking.
• Use a wide pan for cooking the meatballs, as directed in the method.
• Keep 200–300 ml of the meatball cooking water before draining the pan.
• Add the milk gradually, stopping within the stated 100–150 ml range when the mixture is workable.
• If you want a fruitier sauce, the recipe suggests using a cup of diced pineapple instead of the apple.

Variations

• Use pineapple: swap the apple for a cup of diced pineapple, as suggested in the recipe.
• Adjust the curry: add extra curry powder at the seasoning stage for a more pronounced curry flavour.
• Change the sauce texture: use the gravy thickener gradually and stop when the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
• Serve with greens: add a side of cooked green vegetables to accompany the rice and sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the rest: the mixture may be harder to shape; chill it for at least 30 minutes.
• Discarding the cooking water: the sauce needs 200–300 ml, so reserve it before removing the pan.
• Overcooking the meatballs: follow the stated 8–10 minutes and avoid leaving them in the water longer than needed.
• Adding all the milk at once: stir it in and use the 100–150 ml range to keep the mixture manageable.
• Boiling the rice throughout: reduce the heat to low after it comes to the boil, then let it stand off the heat.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover meatballs, sauce and rice in separate airtight containers and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a splash of water to the sauce if it has thickened; reheat the rice thoroughly and only once.

Frequently asked questions