Lamb meatballs with Lebanese rice recipe

By Rodney Dunn

Difficulty not too difficult | Cooking time more than 1 hour | Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

1.5 kg minced lamb
105 gm (1½ cup) fresh coarse breadcrumbs
5 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1½ tbsp ground cumin
1½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp each of ground allspice and ground cardamom
90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
½ cup (loosely packed) coriander, to serve
Lebanese rice
50 gm butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
120 gm angel hair pasta, coarsely broken
400 gm (2 cups) basmati rice

METHOD

These spice-laden meatballs echo Middle Eastern flavours and are simple to prepare and cook. Lebanese rice, a classic in all Lebanese restaurants, is rich and buttery with a hint of allspice.

Combine lamb, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg and spices in a large bowl and season to taste. Mix with your hands until well combined. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and set aside on a tray.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 30ml oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add meatballs and cook in batches, turning until browned (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a baking dish.

Heat remaining olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft (5-7 minutes). Add tomato and cook until tomato just softens (1-2 minutes). Pour over meatballs and roast until meatballs are cooked through (10-15 minutes).

For Lebanese rice, heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft (5-6 minutes). Add pasta and stir until just beginning to brown, then add rice and 1 litre water, stir to combine, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook until liquid is absorbed (10-12 minutes). Season to taste. Scatter meatballs with coriander and serve immediately with the Lebanese rice.