If you’ve never tried sambal oelek—chili garlic sauce used primarily in southeast Asia—you should! It not only adds heat, but also a wonderfully garlicky kind of flavor. It’s easy to find in regular grocery stores in the Asian food section and is just as versatile as hot sauces.
Prep time 25 minutes
Makes about 26 meatballs
For the meatballs:
2 pounds (905 g) ground turkey
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2-inch (5 cm) knob of ginger, grated finely or minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
11/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or other chili garlic sauce
2 to 4 tablespoons (29 to 59 ml) avocado oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken broth
For the chili mayo:
1 cup (225 g) Paleo-Friendly Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30 g) sambal oelek or other chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons (10 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, and chili garlic sauce. Mix everything together gently, using your hands. Roll the mixture into 11/2-inch (2.6 cm) balls and set them on a large plate.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons (29 ml) of avocado oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs on two sides until golden brown, adding more oil if necessary. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer the seared meatballs to a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth into the slow cooker.
3 Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through.
4 Combine the ingredients for the chili mayo and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5 Serve the meatballs with the chili mayo.
