Meatballs and Rice, Greek recipe with an Indian twist
This festive recipe is an absolute treat for the young and old alike. Cooked Basmati rice is molded in a Bundt cake pan, flipped over on a plate, and meatballs with gravy are arranged around and center of it. I took a Greek recipe and made it with Indian spices. I have to admit there are a lot of similarities in Greek and Indian cooking.
Equipment
- Rice cooker, Bundt pan for molding the rice.
Ingredients
Basmati Rice:
- 3 cups basmati rice, washed well and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.
- 2 teaspoons melted butter or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon saffron, crushed
- 1 tablespoon cilantro and mint mixture, very finely chopped
Tomato Sauce:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 can (14 ½ oz.) whole tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cumin poweer
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Meat Balls:
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb,
- 1 small onion, grated
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup mixture of fresh cilantro, mint, finely chopped
- 5 small green chilies, minced (optional)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Basmati Rice:
- Wash rice well and drain completely. Put the rice in a rice cooker with 3 ½ cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until ready.
Tomato sauce:
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan.
- Add onion and garlic and sauté on medium high heat until onion is soft and starts to get some color on it.
- Transfer a can of tomatoes to a bowl and crush by hand leaving some chunks for some texture which makes the dish pretty. Add the tomatoes to the onion and stir to mix well. let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add cumin powder, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Uncover, add butter, and sprinkle sugar to balance the acidity. It does not sweeten the sauce.
- Cover and simmer until sauce cooks down slightly.
Meatballs:
- While the sauce is simmering, In a bowl, add ground meat, onion, bread crumbs, one egg, ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, mixture of mint and cilantro, and green chilies (if using).
- Transfer to a food processor and process until everything is well mixed. Don't over process.
- Remove to a bowl and form into meat balls pressing firmly. Once all the meatballs are ready, drop them into the sauce. Mix well and add ½ cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes and remove from heat. Let it stand for 15 minutes before.
Assemble the Final Dish:
- To assemble the dish, grease a Bundt pan well with melted butter or olive oil. Sparsely sprinkle with crushed saffron, chopped cilantro and mint mixture.
- Transfer cooked rice in it and press it down with a flat spoon to firm it up. Flip it over a Plate. The top looks jeweled with orange and green colors of saffron and herbs. Arrange meatballs around it with a little sauce. Also serve sauce on the side for those who like extra sauce with their meal.