Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to:
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A unique way to enjoy your meat is to roll them into meatballs and savour them with a sauce or gravy of your own choice. Meatballs tend to vary in composition, taste, texture and ingredients but are made in more or less in the same fashion. The meatball origin is still not clear as every country or region has its own variant of meatballs — Middle East calls them kofta, Southeast Asia calls them bakso and serve them with noodles and soup, Italians enjoy spaghetti and meatballs, Swedish have their own unique recipes to make meatballs and serve their meat balls with lingonberry jam and mash potato.
In general meatballs are spherical mass of meat and other ingredients and flavourings like bread crumbs, onion, spices and eggs and either fried or baked. The quality of meatball largely depends on the meat being used, so it should always be freshly grounded to get juicy and soft meatballs.
Homemade meatballs
Serves 4
Ingredients
Beef mince 750g
Onion, chopped ½ cup
Garlic, chop 1 tbsp
Bread crumbs 1/3 cup
Egg 1 no
Milk 1/2 cup
Parsley, chopped 1 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Paprika powder 1 tsp
Flour 1/4 cup
Sour cream 3/4 cup
Butter 2 tbsp
Garnish
Parsley few sprigs
Method
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan and sauté garlic and onion till translucent, keep aside.
In a bowl combine ground beef, sautéed onion and garlic, bread crumbs, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Mix well with hands to combine the seasoning and ingredients together.
Arrange in a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 18 degree C for 30–35 minutes.
Meanwhile to prepare sauce combine oil and flour over medium heat.
Add paprika powder and once the flour turns blonde colour add 1 cup water and stir.
Add sour cream and bring to boil, season and remove from flame.
Place the meatballs in the prepared sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes to thicken the sauce and to allow the meatballs to absorb the sauce.
Finish with butter and serve hot garnished with parsley sprigs.
Strawberry
Strawberry is a popular and exotic fruit known for its characteristic aroma, taste, colour and features. Although they have become increasingly available year round, they are at their peak of their season from April to July when they are the most delicious and more abundant. Strawberry secures its place in numerous culinary preparations. The amount of antioxidants this wonder fruit contains is simply amazing and it’s a wonderful fruit to garnish and delight your guests.
Strawberry is a delicate fruit with a low shelf life and gets spoiled quickly under room temperature. So it should always be stored in humidity box in your refrigerator and consumed within two days or purchase. While buying choose the berries that are firm, plump, and which has a shiny deep red colour and attached green caps. Strawberries once picked do not ripen further so avoid those which are dull in colour and have green or yellow patches since they are likely to be sour and of inferior quality.
Strawberry caramel
Serves 6
Ingredients
Sugar 2/3 cup
Water 1/3 cup
Strawberry 1 cup
Milk 1 cup
Cream 1 cup
Egg yolks 4 no
Castor sugar 1/2 cup
Vanilla extracts few drops
Method
Heat sugar and water in a heavy bottom sauce pan and till the sugar is dissolved.
Increase the heat and boil till the syrup turns golden brown and achieves a nice golden brown colour.
Carefully divide the caramel into 6 ramekins and allow to cool.
Chop few strawberries and place on the caramel.
In another sauce pan, heat milk and cream and meanwhile combine egg yolks, castor sugar and vanilla extract.
Gently whisk 2 spoons of the milk mixture to egg mixture.
Slowly pour the remaining mixture while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and pour into prepared ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a baking tray and pour water in baking tray to ensure even baking.
Bake at 325 degree F for 30- 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes and place in refrigerator to chill.
De mould from ramekin and serve chilled garnished with remaining strawberry halves.
Meatballs.
