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Spicy Lamb Meatballs Recipe

Jane Curran's avatar
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published
in Recipes
Spicy meatballs
Serves4
SkillMedium
Total Time1 hours
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories500 Kcal25%
Fat28 g40%
Saturated Fat6 g30%

Spicy lamb meatballs make a change from the usual beef accompaniment that go with spaghetti. This deliciously fragranced recipe includes plenty of delicious ingredients to give the meatballs a Middle Eastern Flavour and we've packed in plenty of fresh veggies too, for a healthy hit.

HOW TO MAKE SPICY LAMB MEATBALLS

Ingredients

  • 500g lean minced lamb
  • 2tsp ground coriander
  • 2tsp ground cumin
  • 2tsp paprika
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 65g dried figs, roughly chopped
  • 3tbsp pine nuts, toasted
  • 40g stale breadcrumbs
  • 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
  • 1tbsp sunflower oil

For the salad

  • 250g pouch basmati rice
  • 3tbsp pine nuts, toasted
  • A small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
  • A small bunch of mint, roughly chopped
  • 1 large courgette, thinly sliced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 150g baby broad beans, podded
  • 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon

For the yogurt dressing

  • 300g natural yogurt
  • 1tbsp chopped mint
  • 1tbsp chopped dill
  • 4-6tbsp buttermilk

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180C fan, gas 6. Tip the lamb into a large mixing bowl and combine together with the spices, crushed garlic, onion, figs, pine nuts, breadcrumbs and the egg. Season to taste and divide the mixture into 12 even-sized balls.

  2. Cook the rice according to the pack instructions and set aside to cool. Make the dressing: in a medium bowl, combine together the yoghurt, mint, dill and enough of the buttermilk to create a loose consistency. Season to taste and set aside.

  3. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the meatballs and fry for 5-7 minutes or until evenly browned. Transfer to a roasting tin and finish off in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.

  4. Toss together the cooked rice, pine nuts, fresh herbs, courgette, red onion and broad beans. Finish with the olive oil and lemon. Season to taste. Top with the meatballs and a good drizzle of the yoghurt dressing. Sprinkle over any remaining herbs and serve with griddled flatbreads.

Jane Curran
Jane Curran

Jane Curran is a freelance food editor, stylist, writer and consultant based in Cape Town. Former food director of TI Media & woman&home. All about food, wine (dipWSET), gardening and the Arsenal.