Middle Eastern meatballs with coriander leaves

Name: Middle Eastern meatballs with coriander leaves
Cook time: 1 h
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 500g finely minced lean lamb or beef; pinch of salt; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground allspice; pinch of cayenne pepper; 1 cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves; olive oil

Stephanie Alexander

October 19, 2011

Middle Eastern meatballs with coriander leavesMarina Oliphant

Time:30 mins - 1 hour

These meatballs can be served with drinks or as part of a selection of cold or warm dishes with fresh tomato sauce. Ask your butcher to mince the meat for you on the finest hole of his mincer or to pass it through the mincer twice.

Ingredients

500g finely minced lean lamb or beef
pinch of salt
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves
olive oil

Method

Blend all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor until smooth and pasty.
Wet your hands to stop the mixture from sticking, and form small balls.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs. Test the tiny meatballs after 5 minutes; larger ones may take 10 minutes.
Drain well on crumpled kitchen paper.
The meatballs can also be partially cooked and finished in the oven.
Make smaller meatballs if serving with drinks. The mixture will yield about 40 cocktail-sized meatballs and about 25 larger ones to serve as part of a meal.