This is the recipe which kickstarted the whole non-traditional Christmas Menu. Sage & onion stuffing is oh so traditional, fruity ones have been done… I wanted something else. Cue the laab!
Jump to RecipeStuffing has to be flavourful. There’s nothing worse than a dried out, bland, sad, burned slab of pork. This recipe has flavour in droves and is so versatile; you can ball it, stuff it or serve it in a single slab in a tray, whichever way it comes. Oooh…laab Scotch egg?!
Make ahead and let the flavours develop. 
A new take on stuffing.
Tips and Tricks
The rice works twofold here: not only does it not soak up as much moisture as breadcrumbs, leaving you with moister balls (sorry, not sorry), but it gives a great crisp texture! As a bonus, it is a naturally gluten-free product so if you switch out the soy listed for a GF alternative, you don’t have to buy an expensive bread on top of everything else!
Laab Stuffing Balls
Equipment
- Small baking tray
- Pestle & mortar / rolling pin
Ingredients
- 300 g Pork mince
- 1 tbsp Brown rice
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce Substitute: coconut aminos/tamari
- 1 tbsp Fresh Thai basil Substitute: Italian basil; cilantro
- Coarse salt & pepper
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
Christmas Eve / Day Before your Cook
- If you have time, prepare the stuffing mix the day before. If you can also ball them up, great!
- Puff the rice in a dry frying pan, cool and crush into ‘breadcrumb’ texture.
- Finely chiffonade the Thai basil.
- Add the pork, basil, soy, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl and, starting with 1 tsp, add in the puffed rice crumb.
- Incorporate with a fork, taking care not to beat up the mixture too much! Set aside to allow the flavour to infuse.
Christmas Morning / Day of your Cook
- Ball approximately 1 tbsp of mix, rolling and pressing gently between two flat hands – again, make sure not to squish them into oblivion!
- Add a little oil to a frying pan and over medium heat, lightly brown the outside of the stuffing balls, set aside on some kitchen towel to remove any excess oil.
To Cook
- Preheat oven to180C/360F fan / 200C/390F / Gas Mark 6.
- If cooking with a roasting meat, add them to the same roasting tray/rack; otherwise line a small baking tray with foil, add a light covering of vegetable oil, and place the balls in the tray.
- Cook for 40 minutes, turning occasionally to keep the surface crisp.
- Serve dotted around your bird for fun or heap onto a little plate; go nuts with a little extra fresh basil if you have more to hand.
- Psst: these taste absolutely wonderful cold too…!
Video
Notes
We would love to hear what you think of our dish.
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