Do you ever see a recipe that jumps off the page/screen at you? I saw this recipe on Ellie's blog The Bitchin' Kitchin' and I was immediately drooling. Ron loves my version of mexican meatballs and I thought these would all be a hit. The original recipe calls for you to grind the almonds, but I found ground almonds at the store and it made for a much quicker meal and eliminated the food processor (less dishes- yay!). I also subbed 2% milk in for the heavy cream to cut down on some of the calories, but keep the creamy element of the sauce. I served this dish with quick curry quinoa. Quinoa is so versatile and gives us a little extra protein! Ron and I absolutely loved this meal. We both adore Indian food and this was a fun variation on some of our favorite flavors.
This weekend we are having out first bonfire of the season! Ron's family is coming up for a small cookout and I think a s'more might be in order!
Ingredients
for meatballs:
20 ounces lean ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup cilantro
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used gluten free)
1 1/2 pinches salt and black pepper
olive oil
for sauce:
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (14.5-oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
for quinoa:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbl curry powder
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together the beef, garam masala, ginger, garlic, cilantro, onion powder, breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper. It is easiest to do this using your hands. Place the meatballs on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Drizzle the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. In batches, place the meatballs in the pan and sear until brown on all sides and cooked through. Once the meatballs are done, place them on a plate covered in a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
In a small pot, add quinoa, stock, curry and oil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes (you can do this while the meatballs and sauce are cooking).
While meatballs and quinoa are cooking, place almonds, cumin, tomato sauce, cream ginger and salt into a saucepan. Allow mixture to simmer on low for 10 minutes.
Plate meatballs and quinoa. Top with sauce and, if desired, chopped cilantro.