Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 570 g ground lean lamb
- 13 g butter
- 40 g onion, finely chopped
- 5 g garlic, finely minced
- 2 g cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 30 g cilantro, finely chopped
- 30 g parsley, finely chopped
- 120 g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
Sauce
- 14 g butter
- 60 g onion, finely chopped
- 5 g garlic, finely minced
- 6 g curry powder
- 325 g apple, peeled, cored, seeded and finely diced
- 120 g banana, peeled and finely diced
- 60 ml peeled tomatoes
- 350 ml chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ml oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 600 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 557 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 134 mg
- Potassium
- 704 mg
- Calcium
- 109 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 295 mg
- Zinc
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 209 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 111 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.44 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.51 mg
- Niacin
- 10.0 mg
- Folate
- 77 mcg
- Water
- 252 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the ground lamb in a large mixing bowl.
Melt 13g of butter in a skillet over medium heat (approx 175°C/350°F).
Add 40g of chopped onions and 5g of minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Stir the cumin and ground coriander into the onion mixture, then remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly.
Add the cooled onion and spice mixture to the lamb in the mixing bowl.
Add the cilantro, parsley, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, salt, and pepper to the lamb mixture.
Combine the ingredients by hand until the texture is uniform and the binders are well distributed.
Shape the mixture into 20 round meatballs of equal size.
Melt the remaining 14g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat (175°C/350°F).
Sauté the remaining onions, garlic, and curry powder in the saucepan until the onions are soft.
Add the diced apples and bananas to the saucepan and stir to combine with the aromatics.
Add the peeled tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaf to the saucepan.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and process the sauce in a blender or food processor until the texture is completely smooth.
Return the smooth sauce to the saucepan and maintain a low simmer.
Heat 15ml of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat (approx 200°C/400°F).
Sear the meatballs in batches for 5 minutes total, turning frequently until they are browned on all sides.
Transfer the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce and cover the pan.
Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
Chef's Notes
- For the meatballs, ensure the lamb is lean to prevent excessive shrinkage and greasiness. Don't overmix the meatball mixture, as this can lead to tough meatballs; mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- When searing the meatballs, work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which will steam the meatballs instead of searing them, preventing a good crust.
- The fruit in the sauce will break down significantly. For a smoother sauce, ensure you blend it thoroughly. A high-powered blender will yield the best results.
- Taste and adjust seasoning in the sauce before adding the meatballs. The sweetness of the fruit can mellow out the spices, so you might need a touch more salt or curry powder.
- Lamb can have a strong flavor. If you prefer a milder taste, you can substitute half of the lamb with ground beef or pork.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with the sauce.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze meatballs in sauce for best results.
Reheating: Heat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Meatballs fall apart during browning
Cause: The meat mixture was too warm or handled too aggressively before the proteins set.
Fix: Finish cooking the broken meatballs in the sauce; the flavor will remain intact even if the shape is lost.
Prevention: Chill the shaped meatballs in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before searing.
Sauce is too thick after blending
Cause: High starch content in the banana or excessive reduction during the simmer.
Fix: Whisk in 30-50ml of chicken stock or water until the desired consistency is reached.
Prevention: Keep the saucepan covered during the initial 15-minute simmer.
Cultural Context
While this specific recipe is a modern fusion, the concept of spiced meatballs simmered in a sauce has roots in various cuisines. Dishes like Swedish köttbullar or Middle Eastern kofta, often served with rich sauces, demonstrate a long tradition of combining ground meat with aromatic spices. The addition of fruit in the sauce, however, leans towards influences found in some Southeast Asian or even medieval European cooking traditions where fruit was often paired with savory meats.
