Turkish Baharat Meatballs with Lentil Pilaf
Total Steps
8
Ingredients
28
Tools Needed
6
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- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons dry mint
- 2 tablespoons dry savoury
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 pods green cardamom pods
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup lentils
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 400 grams beef mince
- 1 rasher bacon, rind removed, very finely chopped
- 1 heaped teaspoon baharat spice mix
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup flour
- large pinch pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cracked
- 2 large mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 1 small courgette, coarsely chopped
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- as needed olive oil
- 1 red capsicum, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Instructions
Step 1
Place the chopped onion, chopped red capsicum, and 2 cloves of chopped garlic in a medium-large saucepan with some olive oil. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 2
Add the coarsely chopped large mushrooms and small courgette to the saucepan and stir.
Step 3
Add the can of chopped tomatoes and the spices to the saucepan. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. This includes the beef mince, rasher of bacon (rind removed, very finely chopped), 1 heaped teaspoon of baharat spice mix, egg, ½ cup of flour, large pinch of salt, and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Mix until smooth.
Step 5
Using a tablespoon, scoop out a measure of the meat mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. Repeat this process until all the meat mixture has been used.
Step 6
Place the formed meatballs into the simmering sauce in the saucepan. Cover and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes. Just before you are ready to serve, uncover the saucepan and increase the heat to reduce the sauce to the desired thickness.
Step 7
For the lentil pilaf, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Then add the ½ cup lentils, 1 ½ cups basmati rice, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of cumin. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for at least 20 minutes before lifting the lid to check consistency. When done, all the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice and lentils, which should be soft.
Step 8
Serve the meatballs and the sauce on a bed of the lentil pilaf with a big dollop of yoghurt.