You all…I have something really disappointing to tell you. Back in July, when I took over the Autoimmune Wellness Instagram account for a week, I mentioned in one of the posts that I was going to be reunited with my childhood best friend in August. We hadn’t seen each other in 20 years, and I could hardly contain how excited I was to see her and her whole family.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go see my friend. My gallbladder got in the way of our reunion. At the time, we didn’t know for sure that it was my gallbladder, but I was in too much pain to make the long drive to see them. I felt so terrible for canceling on her at the last minute, and I was completely heartbroken to not be able to see finally see her in person again. (She doesn’t live within driving distance, by the way. She was only within driving distance for a short time.)
Rest assured, I will be visiting her as soon as I can. We WILL eventually be reunited, just not as soon as I’d hoped.
I’m sure so many of you can relate to this kind of disappointment…when your health gets in the way of something you’ve looked forward to, counted down the days to, planned for, dreamed of…it’s a slap in the face every time.
I am beyond grateful that my friend was so understanding and gracious about the situation. She didn’t blame me at all–instead, we both blame my gallbladder. We curse it on a regular basis for getting in the way of our reunion. We managed to find humor in a situation that was otherwise devastating.
And I see the big picture. I love her friendship and the daily support we’re able to give each other in various aspects of our lives. We’ll only continue to grow closer until we can see each other again, and nothing will take away from how special it will be when we’re finally reunited.
OKAY…NOW…MEATBALLS.
CURRY-SPICED ONES.
THAT ARE ALL CARAMELIZED AND SO GOOD THAT THEY MAKE ME EMOTIONAL.
Make these. Now. Yesterday.
They’re perfect for batch cooking because they’re even better the next day as the flavors get to know each other. And they are absolutely bursting with flavor.
My brother is coming to visit next week, and when I told him about these meatballs he immediately got such intense FOMO that I froze half the batch on the spot to save for him. You’re welcome, Rishi.
By the way, if you’re not feeling meatballs, these would be fantastic as kabobs (form onto skewers and grill) or curry-spiced burgers (form into patties and grill). There are so many possibilities!
What was I saying again? Oh yeah…MAKE THESE NOW.
Curry-Spiced Meatballs
Ingredients:
-1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
-4-5 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tbsp minced ginger
-1 tsp turmeric powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-heaping 1/4 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground preferred)
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
-1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
-1 tsp sea salt
-1 tbsp grass-fed gelatin
-2 lb ground turkey, beef, chicken, or pork
-High heat cooking fat such as avocado oil or ghee (not AIP)
-Water
Directions:
- Organize your ingredients to make the cooking process easier. Combine the garlic and ginger in one small bowl; combine the turmeric, cinnamon, and ground cloves in a separate small bowl; and combine the cilantro and fresh mint in a separate small bowl.
- Heat 1 tbsp cooking fat on medium-low heat. Add onions and spread out in a single layer across the pan. Allow to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.
- Gently sauté and again spread out in a single layer. Add 2 tbsp water and cook undisturbed for 3 more minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger, and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Add turmeric, cinnamon, and ground cloves, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add cilantro and mint, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Once the mixture has cooled, add the ground pork, sea salt, and gelatin to the bowl, and mix well by hand to combine. Form into approximately 28-30 meatballs.
- Note: The mixture is sticky, so coating your hands with a little olive oil makes it much easier to form the meatballs.
- In an oven safe skillet (I used a cast iron skillet), heat 1 tbsp cooking fat on medium-high heat (if using pork or higher-fat beef, use less cooking fat since the meat will release its own fat). Sear the meatballs for 2 minutes per side (a total of approximately 4 sides to get a good sear across the entire meatball).
- Notes: DO NOT overcrowd the pan. The caramelization that occurs during this process is key and adds so much flavor. Overcrowding the pan will prevent caramelization. I seared my meatballs in 3 batches (of 8-10 meatballs per batch) in a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
- After you’ve finished a batch, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Be sure to quickly wipe down or scrape the skillet between batches to prevent burning.
- After each batch, add 1 more tbsp cooking fat for the new batch.
- When all the meatballs have been seared, carefully transfer all meatballs back into the skillet in a single layer (they will crowd the skillet but that is OKAY for this part). Add 1 cup of water to the pan, then place into the oven for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and discard the water.
- Serve the meatballs with a garnish of chopped cilantro and, if desired, a squeeze of fresh lime!
Additional Notes:
-These will last for about 5-6 days in the refrigerator and 4-6 months in the freezer.
AIPooja: Seeking Wellness through Disease 