Moroccan Meatballs (Kefta Mkaoura)

emointhekitchen

A favourite with kids and adults alike, Kefta Mchermel is a small, walnut-sized meatball in a spicy homemade sauce. Traditionally, one prepares this famous Moroccan dish in a Tagine. The final presentation is a comfort food that begs you to dig into the crusty Moroccan bread. Traditionally, people use bread to scoop up the meatballs and serve the Kefta Mchermel in the Tagine. A delightful combination of flavours and a little different. I made these in half sizes and served them. Serve with bread for a tasty and filling dinner.

You will need:

5 onion
4 parsley
2 slices of white bread
1 egg
500 g minced beef
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
black pepper
1 tablespoon butter and oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
370 ml chicken broth
2 tablespoons coriander
2 cilantro leaves
1/2 lemon

Procedure:

Place the onion and parsley in a food processor bowl and process until finely chopped. Tear the bread into pieces, add the egg to the bowl, and process briefly. Add the meat, cumin, paprika, black pepper and salt and process to a thick paste. With wet hands, form the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on a tray.

Heat the butter and oil in a pan or a wok and add the onion. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes. Add the paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and cilantro leaves and bring to a boil.Add the meatballs, shaking the wok so they settle into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add most of the chopped parsley and the lemon juice, and season if necessary. Return to the simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then scatter with the remaining cilantro leaves and parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Beef – Property – Sweet; spleen and stomach meridians entered.
Actions -Tonify the spleen and stomach, replenish qi and blood, strengthen the tendons and bones.
Indications – Weakness of the spleen and stomach, qi and blood deficiency, diabetes, edema, abdominal mass, vomiting with diarrhea, sores and weakness of the waist and knees, consumptive disease.
Cautions – It is contraindicated in case of eating the dead and the sick.

Coriander (cilantro) – Property – Pungent, warm; lung and spleen meridians entered.
Actions – Induce sweating and promote eruption, promote digestion and direct qi downward.
Indications – Indigestion and inadequate eruption.
Cations – It is contraindicated for adequate eruption.

Meat and poultry can be found here