I know; I know. Clearly, these balls, (turkey balls) aren’t gigantic in size. However, they are super packed with big flavors and mouth-watering taste.
Typically, ground turkey is rather bland in taste especially if the fat content is minimal. As a result, I had to incorporate some intense flavors and spices in order to obtain a succulent finished dish. With a little aid from Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asia’s spices, I nabbed the perfect union of flavors.
Guys, I’m talking about spices and ingredients like curry power, cumin, coconut milk and chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I do think that some of these spices and ingredients are somewhat underused in many western cuisines. Perhaps, it’s because some of us aren’t familiar with the usage of them in regular everyday dishes. As a result, we sometimes buy them with the good intentions of utilizing, but, they end up in the rear of the spice rack gathering dust.
Because these spices are staples in my pantry at home and from my childhood days in Jamaica, I reckoned I could experiment with them in my turkey balls. I took the plunge and added a pinch of cumin and curry powder to my ground turkey and they made a world of difference. The flavors are pungent and bold. A pinch of each goes a far way. Overusing (especially the curry) could result in a bitter taste. However, with just the right amount, it can alter an average dish to an acme one.
So, with the infusion of these amazing spices (old world spices), they brought my turkey balls to another level. Using them will surprise the taste buds in a great way and make you wonder why you’ve not used them in past dishes.
On my recent shopping trip to my neighborhood store (Publix) I purchased three cans of 15.5 ounces chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for $2. They were on sale. So, I made a curry-based/coconut milk sauce with all the similar ingredients from the ground turkey. I then drained and immersed my garbanzo beans. I allowed them to simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
Turkey balls were drizzled with a little olive oil and were baked for 15 minutes at ( 350 degrees F). They were then placed under the broiler for another 5 minutes to acquire a brown exterior. Balls were then added to the curry/coconut chickpeas sauce in order to absorb all the exotic flavors. Dish can be served as is with a green salad or on a bed of brown rice.
Guys, with this dish, even JLo and Nicky Minaj would approve. By the way, I can’t promise that you’ll get a huge derriere, but I can guarantee you gigantic and mouthwatering flavors.
This is something new. And anything with coconut and curry I will try. Its funny how you may something exotic out of every day ingredients we don’t care about.
Great receipt. And i can tell it is nutritious too.
Hi Bev,
It’s deja vu! Glad to have you again. You’re right, these ingredients are super together. Your compliments are very much appreciated.
Cheers,
Betty