Instructions

• Put 500 grams lean beef or lamb mince in a large bowl. Add 1 grated onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, a pinch of dried chilli flakes (to taste), 2 Tbs dukkah, 1 tsp ground cumin and salt and pepper (season generously). Mix with your hands until well combined.
• Shape the mixture into smallish meatballs, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Set them on a plate.
• Heat enough olive oil in a non-stick frying pan to coat the base over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning so they brown on all sides. Remove browned meatballs to a plate lined with kitchen paper and keep them warm. (If the pan gets crowded, do smaller batches.)
• Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more olive oil to the same pan. Add the sauce onion (1 onion, finely chopped) and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the sauce spices (1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp chilli flakes) to the softened onion and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in the 2 x 400 g tins of chopped peeled tomatoes and 200 ml chicken or lamb stock. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and add salt as needed.
• Return the browned meatballs to the sauce, submerging them as much as possible. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through (no pink in the centre) and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
• While the meatballs finish cooking, make the herb couscous: bring 350 ml chicken stock to the boil. Put 200 g couscous in a heatproof bowl, add a glug of olive oil (or 30 g butter, optional), then pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Stir once, cover the bowl, and leave to stand until the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes).
• Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork. Stir in 2 T chopped parsley and 2 T chopped coriander/cilantro.
• Serve the meatballs and sauce over the herb couscous and scatter additional roughly chopped fresh coriander/cilantro over the top to garnish.