Minced meatballs cooked in a spiced sauce: Almost every national cuisine has a recipe like this in one form or another. In some countries, such as Turkey, Lebanon and Syria, bulgur is added to the minced meat.
This is great if you want to eat a little less meat. The mince balls get their intense flavour from spices such as cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. The pomegranate syrup adds a little acidity and a slight sweetness to the dish.
Unlike most recipes, I use coarse bulgur. Its almost meaty texture is similar to minced meat and makes it even easier to reduce the amount of meat.
The chunky tomato sauce and the fresh mint sprinkled over the dish at the end add a nice fresh flavour to this otherwise rather hearty dish.
Ingredients for 8 portions (makes approx. 50 balls):
\- 1 onion (large)
\- 4 cloves of garlic (small)
\- 2 tbsp olive oil
\- 1 egg
\- 1.5 tsp paprika powder (smoked)
\- 1 tsp cumin powder
\- 1 tsp coriander powder
\- 1.5 tsp oregano (dried)
\- 0.5 tsp turmeric (ground)
\- 1 tsp cinnamon (ground)
\- 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup (alternatively 0.5 tbsp maple syrup and - 0.5 tbsp raspberry vinegar)
\- salt and pepper
\- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
\- 200 g bulgur (coarse)
\- 500 g minced meat (beef or beef/lamb)
\- 3 tins of chunky tomatoes (400 g each)
\- 500 ml vegetable stock
\- 10 g mint (fresh)
\- 500 g basmati rice (as a side dish)
Preparation:
1. Peel the onion and garlic
2. Sauté half of the onion and garlic in a large pan in about two tbsp olive oil over a low heat until soft.
3. Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl and season with paprika powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, oregano, turmeric, just under one teaspoon of cinnamon, pomegranate syrup, plenty of salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs, bulgur (raw) and the mince, mix everything well and knead thoroughly with clean hands. Shape into around 50 small, round balls.
4. Place the chopped tomatoes in the pan with the balls and simmer over a low to medium heat with the lid on for approx. one hour. Halfway through, remove the lid so that the sauce thickens up a little.
5. Season the dish again with salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Wash the mint and shake dry. Roughly chop the leaves and sprinkle into or onto the tomato sauce.
