Turkish Baharat Meatballs with Lentil Pilaf Recipe - Quick, Healthy & Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 rasher bacon, rind removed, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp baharat spice mix*
• 1 ½ cups basmati rice
• 2 Tbs ground black pepper
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 small courgette, coarsely chopped
• ½ tsp cumin
• 2 Tbs dry savoury
• 1 egg
• ½ cup of flour
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup lentils
• 400g beef mince
• 4 tsp dry mint
• 2 large mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups water

Instructions:

1. Place onion, capsicum and garlic in a medium-large saucepan with some olive oil to saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and courgette, stir.
3. Add the tomatoes and the spices, cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.meanwhile combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix until smooth.Using a tablespoon, scoop out a measure of meat and roll into a ball with your hands. Repeat until youve used all the meat.
4. Place the meatballs in the saucepan, then cover and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes. Just before youre ready to serve, uncover the saucepan and increase the heat to reduce the sauce to the desired thickness.For the lentil pilaf bring the water to boil, then add the remaining ingredients, stir, cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for at least 20 minutes before lifting the lid to check consistency. When done, all the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice/lentils, which should be soft.
5. Serve the meatballs and the sauce on a bed of the lentil rice with a big dollop of yoghurt.