Spicy Thai Meatballs with Crispy Noodles

Recipe Cuisine: Ground beef
Recipe Category: Ground beef
Recipe Serves: 4

Recipes Ingredients:

Vegetable oil 1/2
c Chunk-style peanut butter
1 lb Ground pork
1 tb Grated lemon peel
1 lg Egg
1/4 ts Ground red cayenne pepper
1/2 c Dry-roasted peanuts,
1 sm Cucumber,sliced
Finely chopped 1
sm Carrot, peeled and thinly
1/4 c Chopped fresh cilantro or
Sliced or cut into thin
Parsley
Sticks
3/4 ts Salt
Fresh cilantro or parsley
3 3/4 oz Pkg. cellophane noodles
Sprigs, optional
(see note)

Recipe Instructions:

Pour oil into 3 qt. Saucepan to depth of 1";heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.Meanwhile,in large bowl,combine pork,egg,ground peanuts,chopped cilantro and salt.Using hands or wooden spoon,blend well.Shape mixture into 1" balls.In 12" Skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp. oil;add meatballs.Cook about 12 minutes,turning frequently until well browned on all sides.Add 1 cup water,stirring to loosen brown bits from bottom of skillet;bring to boil.Reduce heat to low. Simmer,covered,5 to 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Meanwhile,add noodles,a small amount at a time,to Hot oil in saucepan; cook each batch about 20 seconds until puffed and double in size.Using a slotted spoon,remove noodles to paper towel to drain.When meatballs are cooked,stir in peanut butter,grated lemon peel and ground red pepper;cook about 1 minute longer until heated through.Arrange fried noodles on serving platter.Spoon meatballs over noodles;arrange cucumbers and carrots decoratively around edge.Garnish with cilantro sprigs,if desired.Makes 4 servings. Note:Cellophane noodles are sometimes called Bean thread noodles and can be found in the Oriental sections of supermarkets.