Ginger pork balls in broth with rice noodles

Before you pick up the phone to order a takeaway, try this instead – I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. It works well as a broth without meat balls too, for those who are vegetarian.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 80–100g/2 3/4–3 1/2 oz fresh ginger
• 6 star anise
• 1 lemongrass stalk (optional)
• 2 litres/8 1/2 cups weak hot chicken or vegetable stock (see pages 177 and 176 for homemade)
• 500g/1lb 1 oz pork mince
• 50g/1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 10g/1/3 oz Lucy Bee coconut oil
• 200g/7 oz rice noodles
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 red pepper (bell pepper), about 140g/ 5 oz, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 200g/7 oz carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 200g/7 oz fennel, thinly sliced
• 225g/8 oz pak choi (bok choy) or cabbage, sliced
• Handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped
• Himalayan salt and ground black pepper

To serve

• Spring onions (scallions), chopped
• Red chilli, chopped
• Sesame oil

Method

1. Peel the ginger and grate the flesh (reserve for the pork balls) then add the ginger skin, star anise and lemongrass stalk, if using, to the hot stock. Leave to stand for 30 minutes or longer so it absorbs all the flavours of the spices.

2. Mix the pork mince, grated ginger and breadcrumbs together with some salt and pepper then, using your hands, form the mixture into about 40 balls. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the pork balls and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning so they brown evenly all over. Remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, strain the stock to remove the spices, then pour it back into the saucepan and bring to the boil. In a separate pan, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, then drain. Add the tamari, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and all the vegetables to the boiling stock and, when it starts to gently bubble again, add the pork balls and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander (cilantro).

4. If you have space in the pan, add the drained noodles and stir, otherwise place the noodles in serving bowls and ladle over the pork balls, vegetables and stock. Serve with chopped spring onions (scallions), chilli and sesame oil sprinkled over the top.

From Coconut Oil: Recipes for Real Life. Recipe text © 2016 Lucy Bee Limited.