Sri Lankan Meatballs (Frikkadels)

Curry Bible, p. 145

1 pound finely minced beef

½ cup desiccated coconut

½ teaspoon fresh crushed garlic

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill or mint

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup dry breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons ghee or oil

In a bowl knead together the beef, coconut, garlic, onion, dill or mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth. 

I only got a "before" shot of this step because my hands were pretty gross afterward.

With wet hands, form into 24 small balls.

Bet you've never seen coconut in a meatball before!

Dip balls into beaten egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. 

This actually took me two eggs to get done. I guess one of the chickens who laid my batch wasn't feeling very industrious that day.

Heat ghee or oil in a shallow pan over medium heat and fry the meatballs until well browned and cooked through about 3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Fried golden and crispy!

Serve as an appetizer with chutney or a hot sambal. 

My Rating: 4/5 "I was really afraid that these would just taste like greasy fried blah. Instead, they were great! They're deliciously meaty, first of all, but you can also actually really taste the coconut and the spices. I put toothpicks in them and sent them to a potluck for my husband's curling team (accompanied by some sweet chili dipping sauce). They're really great little hors d'oeuvres!"