Thai Coconut Meatballs

Who even was this girl?

In a past life, I may have been a Skipper. But not even like… A Skipper that got to ride the boats, nope. I was that bad of a Skipper that I had to make money another way for the Jungle Navigation Co. and sell tiki-drinks with a side of bad puns. So! To relive those wayward days, I am recreating my favorite dish from Captain Cook’s the quick service restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort - the Thai Coconut Meatballs! An Instagram friend @princesspartyof1 shared a recipe that I just had to try out and recreate for myself!

The result was a creamy and sweet sauce, and meatballs with a kick! I had so much fun making these, and it was a hit in the household that we are writing this one down in the family cookbook! Enjoy - and mahalo for watching!

Aloha, RJ.

Thai Coconut Meatballs

Serves 4 (or two hungry bois like us)

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 works best here)

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp. garlic chili sauce (you can find this at World Market or some Targets!)

For the sauce:

• 2 cans dices tomatoes, drained

• 1/4 cup brown sugar (add more to taste)

• 2 cups chicken stock

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

• 2 tbsp. lime juice

• 2 cans coconut milk

• 1/4 cup fish sauce (add more to taste, I sure did…)

• 1/4 cup heavy cream (or use 1 tbsp. cornstarch and 1/2 cup water as lighter substitute)

• 1 stalk green onions, chopped, and separate whites from greens

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit

2. Mix meatball ingredients and salt & pepper until uniform, meat should hold together

3. Use palm of your hand to shape 12-13 meatballs, and arrange on cookie sheet

4. Cook for about 16 minutes until they are brown, or internal temperature of meatballs hit 155 degrees Fahrenheit

5. When meatballs are finished, leave to cool and drain any excess fat or drippings

6. In a pot, bring tomatoes, brown sugar, chicken stock, lemon and lime juice to a boil

7. Once boiling, leave on a medium heat to reduce liquid to about half its volume

8. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce, and bring up to medium-high to bring back to a boil

9. Once boiling, go back down to medium and let it reduce a quarter off the sauce

10. Add heavy cream (or cornstarch/water) to help thicken one last time and add whites of green onion (season to taste here!)

11. Place meatballs into sauce and mix to combine

12. Prepare bowls of rice (white long grain or jasmine work perfectly here) and top each with meatballs and sauce

13. Sprinkle green onion and serve!