Jasmine Rice – FoodWatcher

Coconut Curry Pork Meatballs.

These pork meatballs are sponsored by the National Pork Board! We are living for these coconut curry pork meatballs! This sauce… oh my gosh – this sauce. The juicy meatballs. Everything served over fragrant jasmine rice. It’s absolutely perfect and a wonderful weeknight meal to introduce some flavor into your kitchen! Yes oh yes oh […]

The post Coconut Curry Pork Meatballs. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

These pork meatballs are sponsored by the National Pork Board!

We are living for these coconut curry pork meatballs!

coconut curry pork meatballs

This sauce… oh my gosh – this sauce. The juicy meatballs. Everything served over fragrant jasmine rice. It’s absolutely perfect and a wonderful weeknight meal to introduce some flavor into your kitchen!

coconut curry pork meatballs with jasmine rice

Yes oh yes oh yes.

These flavors are some of my favorite to transport me out of the kitchen. It’s no secret that I love a coconut curry sauce – this thick and creamy, flavorful spiced broth for the meatballs is out of this world. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t also drag fresh, fluffy sourdough bread through the sauce.

But that’s neither here nor there.

ground pork with garlic, ginger and scallions

Today I’ve partnered with the National Pork Board, highlighting their Pork as a Passport campaign to share this delicious meal.

Um, I don’t think it’s any secret that I loooove pork. Pretty sure the base of this blog was built on pork, right? Those were the days.

browned pork meatballs

Growing up, my mom made pork chops practically once a week. They were one of my favorite meals that she made (I shared them here!) and it was easily the best dinner of the week. Since then, pork has always been a staple for us. Did you know that pork is the number one consumed protein globally? I had no idea, but I’m very excited to be in on that trend. We all know I’m often late to the game.

This time, I’m early! And since it’s the number one protein, it really allows you to explore different flavors and cultures when it comes to cooking!

coconut curry pork meatballs

I love that there are so many different cuts of pork and even more so – a variety of ways to prepare pork. It’s basically an experience that brings people together in the kitchen. Pork is so versatile too. I’ve used an array of flavors here on the blog in my past pork recipes, but adding in a coconut curry twist may be my favorite one yet. Yessss, I know, it just seems that EVERYTHING is my favorite (but really, it is).

These are no different.

coconut curry pork meatballs

The meatballs are flavored with garlic and ginger and green onions. The sauce is made with red curry paste and canned coconut milk, plus a heavy-handed squeeze of lime. It’s seriously the perfect combination.

coconut curry pork meatballs with coconut rice

Meatballs have definitely been a thing for us this year – I’ve shared a ton on the blog and you have loved them too. They are just so easy, feed many, and you can have fab leftovers. You can also use the meatballs in different ways – like sandwiches or over rice or pasta. Really, the options are endless.

So hello, dinner tonight!

coconut curry pork meatballs

Coconut Curry Pork Meatballs

These pork meatballs and browned and served over jasmine rice with an incredible coconut curry sauce. Irresistible.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings people

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 large egg
⅓ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

sauce

1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 14 ounce cans full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro, for topping
2 sliced green onions, for topping
2 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

Place the pork in a large bowl. Add in the egg, breadcrumbs, cilantro, onions, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined - do not overmix!
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer. You may need to do this in batches! Brown the meatballs on all sides, cooking about 10 to 12 minutes total. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel. Pour out any grease in the skillet except for 1 tablespoon.
With the skillet over medium-low heat, stir in the shallot and garlic with a pinch of pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper. Stir in the curry paste and let it cook for for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and stir. Add in the lime juice.
Place the meatballs back in the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. You want the internal temperature of the pork to read 160 degrees before serving.
Sprinkle the green onions and cilantro on top. Serve over jasmine rice.

coconut curry pork meatballs

The post Coconut Curry Pork Meatballs. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Simple Sesame Rice

The post Simple Sesame Rice appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Sometimes you just need something simple to flesh out your meal, to bulk it up without adding a lot of work, or without adding a lot of $$$. Rice is my favorite ingredient for that job. But as much as I love rice, even I can get sick of it sometimes, so it’s important to know how to jazz it up just a bit to make things interesting while still keeping it simple. This toasty Sesame Rice recipe does just that.

Super Simple Savory Sesame Rice

A bowl of sesame rice with chopsticks balanced on the rim and a small bowl of sesame seeds on the side

It’s All About the Toasted Sesame Oil

The magic in this savory sesame rice is the toasted sesame oil. If you haven’t discovered this magical ingredient yet, you’re in for a treat! Even just a small amount of this toasty oil gives any food a deliciously nutty aroma and flavor. It’s a finishing oil, so you’ll want to drizzle it onto your food after cooking for maximum impact.

Where to Find Toasted Sesame Oil

The tricky part about buying toasted sesame oil is that the label on the bottle doesn’t always say “toasted”, so you’ll have to take a closer look. Regular, or un-toasted, sesame oil has a light straw-like color similar to canola oil, and only has a mildly nutty flavor. Toasted sesame oil has a deep amber color and a strong nutty flavor and aroma. Most oil is sold in a glass bottle, so simply check the color to know if you’ve got the right oil.

Un-toasted sesame oil is usually sold near other cooking oils, while toasted sesame oil is usually found in the international aisle at major grocery stores. Thankfully, this ingredient is becoming more popular in the U.S. so even stores like Trader Joe’s and Aldi are carrying their own brand (and for a great price!). A little bit goes a long way with this oil, so don’t be afraid of the price tag. It will last you quite a while.

Do I Have to Use Jasmine Rice?

No, you can use plain long grain white rice if you prefer, but jasmine rice will provide more flavor. To find jasmine rice for a good price, skip the small containers of “specialty” rice and look on the bottom shelf for a large 5 lb. bag. It’s so good, you’ll use that 5 lbs. in no time!

What to Serve with Sesame Rice

Sesame rice makes a simple side dish to any Southeast Asian inspired meal. You can serve it along side Soy Glazed Eggplant, Easy Sesame Chicken, or Slow Cooker Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken. Or swap it out for plain rice in any of your favorite bowl meals, like Teriyaki Meatball Bowls, Sweet Chili Chicken Stir Fry Bowls, or Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls.

Green onions added for garnish.

Simple Sesame Rice

Adding just a few ingredients to your rice can really make your meal pop. Try this Simple Sesame Rice with any of your Southeast Asian inspired meals.

1 clove garlic ($0.08)
1 Tbsp butter ($0.13)
1 cup long grain jasmine rice ($0.67)
1.75 cups water ($0.00)
1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.15)
1 tsp sesame seeds ($0.02)

Mince the garlic and add it to a medium sauce pot with the butter. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, or just until the garlic begins to soften and becomes very fragrant.
Add the rice to the pot and continue to stir and cook for 2-3 minutes more to toast the rice.
Carefully add the water and soy sauce, then give the pot a brief stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and allow it to come to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice rest, undisturbed and with the lid in place, for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over top, add the sesame seeds, and gently fold the rice until the sesame oil and seeds are distributed throughout. Serve warm.

A pot full of sesame rice with a bowl of sesame rice on the side, both garnished with green onion

How to Make Sesame Rice – Step by Step Photos

Garlic and butter in sauce pot

Mince one clove of garlic and add it to a medium sauce pot with 1 Tbsp butter. Place the pot over medium heat and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, or just until it has softened a bit and is very fragrant.

Rice being poured into the pot

Add 1 cup jasmine rice to the pot and continue to stir and cook for 2-3 minutes more to toast the rice.

Water being poured into the pot

Carefully pour 1.75 cups water into the pot…

Soy sauce being added to the pot

Along with 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Give the pot a brief stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let the rice simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Add sesame oil to the cooked rice

After resting without heat for 5 minutes, remove the lid and drizzle ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil over the cooked rice. Add 1 tsp sesame seeds and gently fold the rice until the oil and seeds are evenly distributed throughout.

Finished sesame rice garnished with green onion

Serve the rice while warm, next to your favorite main dish! (I garnished with green onion, but this is not necessary for the overall flavor of the dish).

The post Simple Sesame Rice appeared first on Budget Bytes.