Getting a good quality mince is not easy. Not knowing whats inside a packet that comes from abroad keeps me back from buying it. But every now and then I buy a pack , I prefer the Ayam brand which tastes the best or I mince some boneless chicken breast in the food processor.
I make a batch , cook them and then freeze them so I have a batch to make pasta or pop into rice or even for sandwiches during the week.
Recipe : Chicken Meat balls
Makes 20- 22 meatballs
400g chicken mince ( store bought or freshly ground in food processor using 400g boneless chicken)
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt (level tsp)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley ( if available)
1 small egg, lightly beaten
Oil (2 tbsp)
Place the oats in a spice grinder and pulse a few times.
Place the chicken mince in a bowl ( always have a separate bowl for uncooked meat and fish ). Add the spices , parsley ( if using) garlic and ginger. If you like a bit of heat , add finely chopped green chilli into the mix.
Add the oats and the egg.
Using your fingers mix very well and set a side covered with cling film for the flavours to develop, say about 20-30 minutes.
Wet your figures with some water and roll the chicken mix into small balls.
Heat a large frying pan with oil and sear the outside of the meatballs , turning after every 3 minutes so the outside is evenly brown.
Once all the meat balls are done and if you are not going to use them now, pop them into a preheated oven at about degrees for 10 minutes just to cook it through.
( if you are going to use in pasta sauce or into soups, add them into the sauce or soup while its simmering and it will cook along with the sauce, no need to cook in the oven).
You can serve with sauce or in pastas and soups or store in freezer for later use. Just thaw a few hours early before use , warm in oven wrapped in foil or in the microwave.