Chilli con carne meatballs

This one pot wonder is great if you're into spicy food at €4.85 per serving only. At first glance you might think this is a traditional Mexican dish, but none of that is true. It's a combination of Mexican and Indian food. The garam masala gives the meatballs a unique and delicious taste. It just gives it a little bit of extra than the more 'standard' meatballs.

 

 

Serves ......... 4

Duration ...... 15 mins

Dificulty ....... Easy

Cuisine ......... Jamie Oliver

Calories per serving ............ 437

 INGREDIENTS

Bulgur wheat

1 mug (300g) of bulgur wheat

1 preserved lemon

1 cinamon stick

Meatballs

400g lean beef mince

1 heaped tsp garam masala

olive oil

3 jarred red peppers

4 spring onions

1 tbs smoked paprika

700g passata

1 bunch of fresh coriander

1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans

1 pinch of cumin seeds

4 tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt

1 lime

 

Grilled chillies

4 fresh chillies

METHOD

PREREQUISITE

• Ingredients out
• Kettle boiled
• Oven grill on high
• Medium lidded pan, high heat
• Large frying pan, high heat
• Liquidizer
• Medium frying pan, medium heat

START COOKING

1. Put 1 mug of bulgur wheat, 2 mugs of boiling water, the preservation lemon and the cinnamon stick into the medium pan and cover, stirring occasionally.

2. With clean hands, scrunch the mince with salt, pepper and the garam masala. 

 

3. Divide the mixture into 4, then with wet hands quickly shape each piece into 4 balls, placing them into the frying pan as you roll them and adding 1 tablespoon of oil, toss regularly.

4. Blitz the peppers, half the trimmed spring onions, the paprika, passata, half the coriander and a pinch of salt and pepper in the liquidizer until smooth, then pour into the medium fry pan (swirl a good splash of water around the liquidizer and pour into the pan) and turn the heat up to high.

5. Prick the chillies and put under the grill to blacken all over, then remove.

6. Rinse and drain the beans, then add to the meatballs with the cumin seeds.

7. Use tongs to transfer the meatballs straight into the pan of sauce, leaving the beans behind.

8. Finely slice the remaining trimmed spring onions.

9. Stir the beans into the sauce.

10. Remove the cinnamon stick, then mash the lemon into the bulgur wheat and serve with the meatball sauce, dollops of yoghurt, the charred chillies and wedges of lime, scattered with the remaining spring onions and coriander leaves.