Lamb Meatballs Poached in Tomato and Chick-Pea Sauce

Name: Lamb Meatballs Poached in Tomato and Chick-Pea Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Syrian
Ingredients: 500 g (1 lb) minced lamb; 4 cloves of garlic; grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; a large handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped finely; 25 g (1 oz) fresh breadcrumbs; oil for frying; 397 g (14 oz) can of chopped tomatoes; 1 tablespoon tomato purée; 432 g (15¼ oz) can of chick-peas, drained; 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds; salt and black pepper; salt and black pepper

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
20 min

Appears in

A Traveller's Tastes

By Josceline Dimbleby

Published 1986

About

I am never tired of the endless variety of meatballs found all over the Middle East. When I arrived in Syria at the age of seven I immediately took to them, and now I only have to throw together some lamb, fresh mint and spices, and the sights and smells of my childhood in Damascus are brought back to me.

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb) minced lamb
4 cloves of garlic

Asia
Syria

Method

Put the lamb in a bowl. Peel and chop two cloves of garlic finely and add them to the lamb, with the grated lemon rind, the ground cumin and cinnamon, the chopped mint leaves and the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and mix thoroughly together with a wooden spoon. Using damp hands, form the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, and fry the b