Mango Meatball Curry

Are you kidding me, you say? Well, no, I am not. I had one fresh mango and some fake meat. So, I decided to make a very mild panang-style curry. I would usually make this meal with frozen tofu. But alas, I didn’t have enough foresight to have some in the freezer. But, I really still have a meat-eaters mindset about Thai food—I need something with bite as the centerpiece. Maybe it comes from years of ordering the Chicken Blank Blank Curry. I didn’t feel like frying or baking tofu, and I was out of tempeh and I have yet to make seitan, so I pulled out the loaf of fake meat. And, hence, the mango meatball curry. I added finely chopped organic raisins and fresh cilantro to the mini-meatballs, and then served it with fast-pickled red cabbage and brown rice. This was surprising quick and satisfying meal.

Recipe:
Mango Meatball Curry
Begin by making the mini-meatballs. I made them about thumbsized. To form the meatballs, combine and roll into small spheres:
1 cup fake beef
2 T finely minced shallots
2 t finely chopped cilantro

While you brown the meatballs, to make the baby panang curry sauce, combine the following and blend until a fine paste:
1 small dried chilies
3 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 lemongrass stalks, white part only, sliced and bruised
1 tablespoon chopped galangal
6 cilantro sprigs
2 teaspoons braggs liquid aminos
1 tiny pinch asofoetida

In a skillet, brown
1 cup coconut
1 cup baby panang curry paste

Add the "meatballs". Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add barely steamed vegetables (like cabbage, broccoli, bamboo shoots, etc) and of course, ripe mango. Cook for a few minutes to combine.