Reach My Kitchen
Servings:
Serves 4
Prep time:
00:30
Cook time:
00:30
A wonderful take on meatballs, if you love middle eastern flavours then this is the perfect dish. The meatballs are full of spices and the cherries add a slight sweetness to the finished dish. Serve with plain rice, pilaf or flatbread.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 500g beef mince
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice (shop bought or make your own)
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 70g dried cherries
- 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- Handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
For the zhoug: - 50g coriander
- 30g parsley
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2-6 jalapenos (depending how spicy you like!)
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
*Lebanese 7 spice: 1 tbsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp ground cloves, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp ground fenugreek, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp ground cinnamon.
Instructions
- Combine the beef mince, Lebanese 7 spice, chilli flakes, egg, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt & some chopped parsley in a bowl, use your hand to mix together until well combined then form into meatballs.
- Heat a little olive oil in a skillet on a medium/high heat and brown the meatballs on both sides. Turn the heat down and add the onions, fry for a few minutes to soften then add the dried cherries and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer then cover. Turn the heat down and cook for around 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.
- Meanwhile make the zhoug by blending all the ingredients together.
- Check the meatballs are cooked and season the sauce with salt. Garnish with a the zhoug, some chopped parsley and yogurt if you wish.
