Baked Rice Meatballs (Koftet-Rozz)

Ingredients

• 500 gram minced meat (beef) - لحم مفروم
• 1 medium onion - بصلة
• 3 tablespoon rice - أرز
• 1 bunch coriander - كزبرة
• 1 teaspoon salt - ملح
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper - فلفل أسود
• 1/4 teaspoon all spice - بهارات
• 1 tablespoon olive oil - زيت زيتون
• 4 large garlic clove - فص ثوم
• 750 gram tomatoes - طماطم
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste - معجون طماطم / صلصة طماطم

Step by step

1. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes. Drain the water then leave the rice in a sieve to dry completely.
2. Preheat oven to 180C. Blend rice in a food processor until it breaks into little pieces. Remove from food processor, then blend onion with coriander (after chopping and discarding the long coriander stalks at the end).
3. In a bowl, mix the minced beef with the onion, coriander, rice, salt, pepper and all spice until well-combined (using your hands or a fork).
4. Use your hands to make small meatballs.
5. Line an oven tray with parchment paper and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes. Turn them over one time half way through.
6. For the tomato sauce, chop your tomatoes and puree in a blender. You can leave it a bit chunky for more texture in the sauce.
7. In a big pot, heat one tablespoon olive oil, and add minced garlic. Cook for one minute.
8. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato puree, salt and pepper. You may add a little water if needed. Leave to boil, then lower the heat and leave to simmer until slightly thickened.
9. Remove meatballs from the oven and carefully drop them in the sauce.
10. Lower the heat and leave them to simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Make sure the meatballs are cooked-through. Adjust salt and pepper and garnish with fresh coriander.