Nam Jim Look Chin: the recipe for meatball skewers

Look Chin are the meatballs that glisten over the charcoal on skewers at street corners in Thailand. They are never sold alone; the sauce on the side is the reason you stop.

Tamarind, fermented garlic, and dried chili create a dipping sauce that is dark and tart rather than sweet, very different from the bright chili sauces at other stalls. Its Thai name is on the bottle: น้ำจิ้มลูกชิ้น, the sauce for the meatballs.

For this recipe, you form the balls yourself; if you are in a hurry, buy ready-made Look Chin from an Asian grocery store and heat them directly on the skewer.

The trick to making them yourself lies in the kneading: if the meat mixture is worked long enough, it creates a sticky, almost elastic texture. This is exactly what provides the typical "bite" you know from Look Chin at a food stall—an effect you don't get by simply shaping meatballs.

In Thailand, the balls are usually served straight from the skewer, with the dip in a small plastic bag on the side. At home, a bowl in the middle of the table is sufficient, from which everyone can dip as they please.

• 4servings
• 25 min.prep time
• 3/5on the THAANI scale

If you don't like the meatballs on a skewer, simply leave out the wood and fry them loose in a pan instead, then serve in a bowl with toothpicks. It doesn't change the taste, only the look on the table.

Preparation

1. Mix the meat mixture. Vigorously knead the ground meat with egg, cornstarch, and pepper until the mixture becomes sticky; this makes the balls firm to the bite later on.
2. Form the balls. Form small balls and smooth them out with damp hands.
3. Cook. Let the balls simmer in lightly boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes until they rise to the surface.
4. Skewer and brown. Place the drained balls onto skewers and brown them all over on the grill or in a pan.
5. Serve. Bring to the table hot with THAANI Nam Jim Look Chin for dipping.

Variations and tips

• Ready-made Look Chin balls from the Asian grocer save time; simply heat briefly in water and put on skewers.
• Also goes well with cocktail sausages, fish balls, or spring rolls.
• Vegetarian version with balls made of tofu and finely chopped mushrooms; knead a little longer so they hold together.
• Warm the dip slightly so it becomes thinner and easier to distribute over the meatballs.

Once opened, the dip should be kept refrigerated at +2 to +6 °C and used within 2 weeks. One bottle provides enough for about 2 more servings of this size.