While curry powder is most often associated with Indian food, it’s also very much at home in the West Indies. These meatballs have a hot and sweet flavor from the fresh fruit as well as chutney in the sauce; serve them over rice.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 slices white bread
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11/4 pounds ground pork
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup jarred mango chutney, such as Major Grey’s, chopped
2 cups diced fresh mango
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil spray
1. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. While vegetables cook, combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Break bread into tiny pieces and add to the mixing bowl along with ginger and nutmeg, and mix well.
3. Add 1/2 of onion mixture and pork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.
4. Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown all sides. While meatballs brown, add curry powder to vegetables remaining in the skillet, and cook over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pineapple juice, chicken stock, and chutney to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer sauce over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Remove meatballs from the baking pan with a slotted spoon, and add meatballs to sauce, along with mango and peas. Bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for 15 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add mixture to sauce, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Note: The pork mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.