Public Servant Lifestyle

A hearty starter with plenty of spice. You'll be amazed at how simple and tasty these spicy 'meatballs' are!

For the meat balls you'll need: 3oz sultanas
1lb lean minced lamb
2 teaspoons pine nuts
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Assorted fresh vegetables for dipping
Bagel thins to serve

For the coriander sauce you'll need: 6? fluid ounces natural yoghurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves

The Method

Preheat your oven to 400?F. Soak the sultanas in hot water for 15 minutes, drain and chop them coarsely. Combine the sultanas, lamb, pine nuts, onion, parsley, garlic, cumin and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well. Shape the mixture into 25 balls and place in a single layer on an un-greased baking sheet. Bake them uncovered for 30 minutes or until they are cooked through.

For the coriander sauce, combine the ingredients and let it stand for 30 minutes. Serve the meatballs hot or cold with dipping sauce, vegetables and bagel thins (optional).

Incidentally you can very simply substitute the minced lamb for 1lb of vegetable substitute if you want to give this a spin for a vegetarian table. Textured vegetable protein such as 'Qourn' or 'Beanfeast' products are widely avaliable in most supermarkets in the UK - and come as mince, among other versions. These tend to be extremely low in fat (so they're good for you) but you might want to bear this in mind when it comes to following the recipe. We find a single egg mixed into the mince - first pan heated in a tablespoon of water - helps to give the mince the same consistency as meat.

More information available in Starters, Supermarkets