Ironclad Thai fish balls poached in basil and rocket coconut broth

or ... next-level fish balls! 

Photo: The Ironclad Pan Company

THE FISH BALLS

Ingredients 

• 700g firm white fish chopped into hunks (I used Terakihi)
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 red chilli chopped roughly - or more if you like it hot
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, skin on grated
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• Juice of 1½ lemons
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup fresh coriander
• ½ c roasted cashew nuts
• 4 fresh lime leaves, stems removed cut very fine

Method

Blend fish in a food processer with fish sauce till the fish is broken down and soft but not mushy. Remove to bowl. Don’t wash the food processor.

Now process chilli, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, lemon juice, miso and sugar till finely chopped then add coriander, cashew nuts and lime leaves and pulse till you have pesto consistency.

Mix this into the blended fish and set aside whist you make your broth.

(At this point I always fry a teaspoon off and check the seasonings. If you want it hotter or saltier for example adjust to taste)

THE BROTH

Ingredients

• 1 tin coconut cream plus 1 tin of water
• 4 large lime leaves, whole
• 1 stick lemon grass smashed
• 1 red chilli cut in half
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ c basil leaves
• 5 silver beet leaves stems removed
• 1 c of rocket leaves - any leafy greens will do. Kale, spinach etc

Method

In your Ironclad Pan bring all ingredients apart from basil, silver beet and rocket to boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

Form fish cake mixture into 26 balls and drop into broth and at a low temperature poach for 2 minutes each side, use a teaspoon to turn them over. Remove balls from broth and keep warm for a minute in the oven. Allow the broth to continue simmering.

Squash your leafy greens into a large nutribullet cup (or similar blender). Pour 1 cup of boiling coconut mixture (without lime leaves, chilli or lemongrass) into the greens and blend till smooth. It will be vibrant green and have the most heavenly fragrance!

Return half this mixture and the fish balls to the simmering coconut broth and simmer very gently to heat through. Pour remaining green broth over the top.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with noodles. (Aduki bean spaghetti works great too).

Now taste the love.