I was given a selection of mixed pices recently, and I’ll be honest and confess that I’d never heard of most of them. The first one I wanted to try and cook with was Baharat. If you Google Baharat you’ll find a number of versions based on area, but this one was from a company called Spice Kitchen and according to their website it’s a blend of cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds, nutmeg, paprika, cardamon & cinnamon.
I spent a whole afternoon perusing Pinterest and the rest of the web trying to learn the best use of this spice, and when I finally sat down to meatballs in a yoghurt and garlic butter sauce at dinner time, I was thrilled with the result. I didn’t find this a spicy dish at all, and the dressing was perfect with plain, fluffy white rice. We also had another dish at the table which was a lot more spicy, and this sauce provided beautiful relief for the tongue.
As someone who didn’t grow up with a lot of spices, and who can’t really handle much more heat that black pepper – or a light wasabi – and who’d never choose to eat at an Indian restaurant, for example, I’d never have considered experimenting with these spice until a few years ago, and sitting eating this meal, I savoured every mouthful 
I think my favourite thing about this dish is that it’s not just one flavour all the way through. Each mouthful is different, with hints of mint, crunchy pine nuts yoghurt and the Baharat meatballs coming through in different bites. Hmm… sitting here writing this, I’m salivating – I’m going to have to buy some more lamb mince!
- For the meatballs
- 400g ground lamb
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1 small onion, halved
- 15g Baharat Spice (adjust seasoning to taste)
- For the dressing
- 100g (100ml) plain yoghurt ([url href=”https://www.keeperofthekitchen.com/2014/01/20/thick-yoghurt-recipe/” target=”_blank”]try this recipe[/url])
- 25g butter
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- For the topping
- 1 tsp Mint (fresh or dried)
- 50g pine nuts
- Oil for frying
- Rice to Serve
- Switch the Thermomix on Speed 4 and drop the onion halves on athe blades for a few seconds.
- Open the lid and add the minced lamb, salt and pepper and Baharat Spices. Mix Speed 4/10 seconds.
- Oil the Varoma
- Form small egg-yolk sized meatballs and place them in the Varoma. (You can also do these the ‘normal’ way on the stove if you prefer them being browned)
- Fill the bowl to the 1 litre mark and put the Varoma in place. Cook on Varoma temp, speed 4 for 20 – 25 minutes.
- (If you’re having rice with this dish, add it after about 10 minutes. Add the rice in the internal steamer for the remaining 15 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, on the stove, heat the pine nuts till they start releasing their aroma. Toast them lightly but watch that they don’t burn – mine in the pictures are a little burned!
- Next melt the butter and add the garlic, and finally warm the yoghurt. DO NOT let it boil or split, just warm it.
- Move the meatballs into a serving dish.
- Pour the yoghurt over them, then drizzle the garlic butter, top with pine nuts and mint.
- Serve with rice.
- Chop the onions finely, and add the spices, salt and pepper and mince with the onions in a bowl. Mix well till all combined.
- Form small egg-yolk sized meatballs and place them in a hot pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning ocassionally to get it browned on all sides and cooked through.
- In the meantime, cook your rice according to manufacturer instructions.
- On a baking tray, or on another plate on the stove, toast the pine nuts but watch that they don’t burn.
- Next melt the butter and add the garlic, and finally warm the yoghurt. DO NOT let it boil or split, just warm it.
- Move the meatballs into a serving dish.
- Pour the yoghurt over them, then drizzle the garlic butter, top with pine nuts and mint.
- Serve with rice.
The inspiration for this recipe came from this original
