1048. Iraqi Spinach Meatball Stew

Most stews use cuts of meat that take a good while of stewing, such as lamb shanks, ribs, or backbone. While you can taste the love and comfort, the downside is the sheer time that goes into them. The Iraqi solution to have your stew and eat it too, express style, is using meatballs.
The time is slashed down to 20, or 30 minutes tops. The meatballs I made here are a bit more robust than what I usually use, by containing some dampened burghul in the mix. The stew itself is hearty with plenty of spinach, chickpeas, and tomato, and a a fragrant punch of fresh herbs and noomi.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:
250g minced meat
1 small onion, diced
4 Tbsp fine burghul, soaked
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp dry mint

For the stew:
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 Tbsp noomi powder
2 Tbsp tomato paste
400g frozen spinach
1 (400g) can chopped tomato
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

Method:

Drain the burghul well. Make the meatballs by mixing well all the meatball ingredients until incorporated, then shaping into small balls or rods. Sear the meatballs in a little oil in a pot until browned on the outside but not yet cooked on the inside. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
In the same pot, using the oil left from the meatballs, saute the chopped onion until softened. Add the dill, coriander, and stir until withered. Add the noomi powder, stir until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and saute for a minute more. Stir in the spinach, then add the canned tomato, cooked chickpeas, and water.
Drop the seared meatballs back in, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Season with salt as needed. Serve hot with some freshly steamed rice on the side.

صحة و عافية