Couscous Meatballs with Sauce, Prepared in Oriental Style

Start by soaking the dried apricots and bread separately in water to rehydrate them. This step is essential to ensure a soft and flavorful texture of the meatballs. In a pan, toast the pine nuts without oil, stirring constantly, until they become lightly golden and release their aroma. Once toasted, chop them finely to easily integrate into the meatball mixture.

Finely chop the drained apricots, add the two cloves of garlic and the green onion, chopped finely. In a large bowl, combine the squeezed bread, egg, minced meat, apricots, pine nuts, garlic, and green onion. Add your favorite spices, which may include salt, pepper, sweet or hot paprika, depending on your taste. Mix all the ingredients well until the mixture becomes homogeneous.

Shape the meatballs to your desired size, then roll them in flour to achieve a crispy crust. Fry them in a pan with hot oil on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Once done, set them aside to drain excess oil.

In another pan, heat two tablespoons of oil and sauté the chopped onion and one clove of garlic until translucent. Add the canned tomatoes and the diced bell pepper. Let the mixture simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick and tends to stick to the pot, add a little broth and half a teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, measure the amount of couscous with the same bowl you used for water. Boil an equivalent amount of water with a little salt. When the water starts to boil, pour it over the drained chickpeas and couscous, then cover immediately with a lid. It is important that this step is not done over heat. After 2-3 minutes, add the curry powder and butter, stirring with a fork to fluff the couscous and mix the ingredients. Season to taste.

In a separate bowl, mix the thick yogurt with finely chopped fresh mint leaves, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Before serving, heat the meatballs in the previously prepared tomato sauce.

Place the warm couscous on plates, add the meatballs on top, and serve with the yogurt sauce with mint, turning every meal into an unforgettable culinary experience. Enjoy your meal!

 Ingredients: For the meatballs: -3 dried apricots -1 day-old bun -2 tablespoons pine nuts -2 green onions -3 cloves of garlic -400 g minced meat -1 egg -salt -pepper -oil for frying For the sauce: -1 onion -1 can of pizza tomatoes (425 ml) -1 red bell pepper, diced -salt and pepper For the couscous: -250 g fine grain couscous (found in supermarkets, it is French couscous, fine, made from durum wheat) -1-2 tablespoons butter -1 small can of chickpeas -curry -salt and pepper For serving you will also need: -thick yogurt -chopped mint -salt, pepper, lemon juice (to taste)

 Tags:  eggs onion meat garlic tomatoes unt pepper oil fruits lemon pizza meatballs recipes for children