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thai curry beef koftas with coconut sauce on gray plate with sweet potatoes and tomatoes
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5 from 4 votes

Thai Beef Koftas with Coconut Sauce

A creative twist on the traditional Middle Eastern recipe: Thai beef koftas with a coconut curry dipping sauce! Similar to a meatball, it is wrapped around a skewer and grilled on the barbecue.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4
Calories: 287kcal

Ingredients

Coconut Sauce:

  • ½ cup coconut milk (well shaken)
  • 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 3 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Thai Beef Koftas

  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 lb lean ground beef (450 g)

Instructions

  • Soak 15 or so wooden skewers in water 30 minutes before preparing the recipe.
  • Pre-heat grill to medium-high.
  • Shake together all coconut sauce ingredients. You may need to shake for a few min to get the curry paste completely dissolved. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together all kofta ingredients except the beef. Whisk until curry paste is completely dissolved. Add the ground beef and mix until completely combined. The easiest way to do this is to use your hands to mix it up.
  • Form 'elongated meatballs'. Do not exceed 2 tablespoons per kofta, as this gets very heavy on the skewer and difficult to handle/cook through. It is easiest to mash together in your hands first, then roll out gently, then stick the skewer through the center.
  • Grill over medium heat, turning every 2 or so minutes for 8-10 minutes, until they are cooked through completely.
  • Serve with coconut sauce.

Notes

Storage
After cooking, koftas may be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the grill or in a covered frying pan.
Other types of ground meat
This recipe should work with any type of ground meat.
  • Ground turkey- avoid a lean ground turkey. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F
  • Ground pork- cook to an internal temperature of 165°F
  • Ground lamb- cook to an internal temperature of 160°F
  • Ground chicken- avoid as is lean and may dry out on the grill
Tips
  • do not exceed 2 tablespoons per kofta, as they will be too heavy for a wooden skewer
  • the koftas are delicate when raw, but after searing, they firm up nicely

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 batch | Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 971mg | Sugar: 7g