Indonesian Meatball Recipe

Indonesian Meatball recipe some of you have asked for. It is taken out of "More from the Gluten Free Gourmet" by Bette Hagman. I will first give you the recipe as written in the cookbook and then tell you how I modified it a little for what I like!! Here it goes:

Meatballs

* 2/3 pound lean ground beef
*1/3 pound lean ground pork
1/3 cup GF bread crumbs or GF cereal, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger (I use ginger powder for this part)
2 tablespoons GF soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg
**1 tablespoon dry milk powder
1 teaspoon prepared mustard powder
1 tablespoon sesame or peanut oil, for frying

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except for the oil. Form into 3/4 inch balls. (I use a meatball scooper and it tends to make about 15-18 meatballs.) Heat oil in a heavy skillet and brown the balls, leaving room to move them around to keep them round. Cook only until the balls are browned and crusty. Remove the meatballs into a baking dish and fry the next batch.

When all the balls are done browning, bake for 45 minutes, covered with the Pinapple Sauce, if desired. (I tend to brush the sauce on each meatball generously and save the rest for serving. When I bake the meatballs with all of the sauce it tastes too sweet to me...but try it!! You may like it that way!!)

* I use 1 pound of ground turkey just because that's what I like. I use a little bit less bread crumbs because there's not that much fat in the turkey meat.
** I keep the dry milk out just because I can't find a dairy free substitute. The meatballs still taste fabulous without the dry milk!!

Pineapple Sauce

1 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot
1/4 cup sake, dry white wine, or 7 UP (I use 7 UP)

Put the pineapple juice in a small saucepan. In a bowl, blend together the cornstarch, lime juice, brown sugar, and ginger. Add to the pinapple juice. Cook until clear and slightly thickened. (Mine never seems clear but you can tell a change in color). Remove from heat and add wine or 7 UP. Either pour over meatballs before baking or save to serve with the meatballs.