Amy's Turkey Meatball Curry

Dinner tonight is light and healthy as my fiance and I are on a diet. You might have noticed that none of my recipes have called for butter, cream, or carbs! It's the wedding diet...

So...this is a now-famous recipe that I made up one day. It incorporates some of my favorite tastes - coconut milk, ginger, lime, and curry. This is a quick and easy-to-make crowd pleaser that I usually serve over mashed potatoes, but being on a diet and all I made mashed cauliflower tonight. I included a pic of the mashed c-flower at the bottom of this post for those who care, but it's literally blended and boiled cauliflower (it IS tasty, though) :)

Amy's Meatball Curry

Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs
99% fat free ground turkey (diet people!) - 1 package from your local grocer
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder (some chili powders have salt - beware!)
1 tablespoon no salt curry powder

Curry
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic gloves, minced
1-2 jalapenos (or any pepper you like)
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
5 bella or white mushrooms if you like
1 can coconut milk
1/2 lime or lemon
2 tablespoons or more no salt curry powder (I use a few varieties, all from Spices, Inc - the Madras is my fave)

Sprinkle all turkey meatball ingredients except turkey in a large non-stick saucepan. Open your turkey package and use your knife to cut and separate your meat into squares for easy meat-balling. I do 3 across and 4 down (see photo).

Making the Meatballs

Take one square in your hand and press together a few times to make the turkey stick together, them roll between both hands to form a meatball. Choose one side of your saucepan to begin placing your meatballs - take your first ball and roll it in that area to pick up the spices and sauces. Leave your meatball there and repeat the process until all your little babies are in the pot and your spices and sauces have been soaked up! Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the meatballs and shake the pan so that the oil coats to the bottom of the pan, and begin cooking on high. Once you meatballs begin to brown, you will want to turn your heat down to medium and use tongs to gently pick up each meatball and turn them, and drop them so that a new portion is cooking. It is very important to cook all surfaces of your meatballs well. If a little burning happens, that is just fine. Be absolutely sure that you brown each little spot of each little meatball-baby!

Babies are Browned

Meanwhile, add a teaspoon of olive oil to a non-stick skillet and saute onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos or pepper of choice and saute for a few more minutes. Add the ginger. Chop or slice your mushrooms, add, and cook until liquid evaporates. Add your meatballs!

Meatballs Meet Veggies

Be absolutely sure that your meatballs are crusty all around each one - you don't want ANY pink or white to be showing...they should be pretty well cooked (otherwise they will get soggy when you add juices). Add coconut milk, lemon or lime juice, and your curry powder to taste. Cook uncovered until the sauce coats your spoon.