Thai turkey meatballs with ginger and lime

We were lucky enough to visit Thailand a couple of years ago and wow what a trip that was. The food was out of this world, I absolutely loved it and since then I have expanded my Thai recipe collection. I remember our 1st lunch on a beach in Koh Samui, jet lagged having just met up with our friends we stopped for lunch in a wonderful shack type restaurant on the beach. I ordered green papaya prawn salad - when they asked how spicy , I thought I played it safe by asking for medium..... well that was a mistake - and one never to happen again.... unless you like your food spicy as hell you need to ask for little heat please!! Today Sam was my sous chef - it was a winner all round. 

One thing to keep in mind when cooking this recipe is that turkey is naturally a dry meat. As it is very lean and there is little fat content to keep it moist. Add a little water into the mix, just for some moisture. It will also help the ingredients and Thai flavours to bind together. 

Ingredients 

625g Turkey mince - mix of breast and thigh mince
5 spring onions
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp fresh basil leaves torn
3cm fresh root ginger peeled and grated
2 Tbsp groundnut oil

For the dipping sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp clear honey
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 chopped chilli (deseeded)
Juice 1/2 lime


Method

1. In a mixing bowl add the mince, spring onions, basil leaves, grated ginger, season and mix well.
2. Using damp hands, form the mixture into evenly shaped balls 4cm in diameter.You can do this in advance and keep in fridge until needed. 
3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the turkey balls over high heat until browned all over.
4. Drain well on paper towels and then place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
5. Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the pouring sauce, plus 1 1/2 tbsp water. 
6. Serve the meatballs with the pouring sauce and some wild rice.