Panang Beef Balls (Panang Nua) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef (beef mince, 500g)
1/2 cup flour (60g)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (350ml)
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
2 -3 teaspoons brown sugar or 2 -3 teaspoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons chopped of fresh mint or 2 tablespoons basil leaves, to garnish

Preparation

Roll the ground beef into round balls 2.5 cm (1\") in diameter. Place the flour in a plastic bag, add the beef balls a few at a time and gently roll around to coat with flour.
Heat the oil in a non-stick wok and saute the beef balls until brown, tilting and rocking the wok so that the balls brown evenly. Remove and set aside on absorbent kitchen paper.
Add the red curry paste to the remaining oil in the wok, and stir-fry for several minutes over low heat until aromatic. Add the coconut milk, stir to incorporate, then add fish sauce, peanut butter and sugar. Mix well and taste for seasoning - add a little extra sugar or fish sauce if necessary.
Return the beef balls to the sauce and simmer gently, to re-heat, for around 5 minutes.
Serve hot, with rice and garnished with chopped basil or mint (or some of each).