real-time-recipes

Harissa Lamb Meatballs with Bulgur & Garlicky Yoghurt Veg

November 05

This Middle Eastern Bowl is a celebration of bold flavours, fresh ingredients, and vibrant textures. The harissa lamb meatballs are juicy and packed with spice, while the creamy garlicky toum ties everything together in the most deliciously aromatic way. It’s a dish that hits all the right notes—rich, tangy, savoury, and fresh. The bulgur wheat adds a nutty base that soaks up all the flavours, while the cabbage and cucumber salad gives a cool, crunchy contrast to the rich lamb. Toasting the flatbreads over a flame is a must; it gives them a charred, smoky edge that elevates the whole dish.

Serves 4
45 mins

Method

1. Firstly, place the bulgur wheat into a bowl, pour over boiling water and sprinkle over a pinch of salt and stir. Cover and leave aside for 20 minutes.
2. Mix together all your ingredients for the lamb skewers. Season well then form the mixture into long oval shaped patties.
3. Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat, rub the patties with a little oil and place onto the griddle pan. Cook for about 6 minutes each side until the lamb has cooked through.
4. Whilst the lamb cooks, start to peel the garlic for the toum and place it into a large jug/jar and cover with the lemon juice. Using an immersion blender, blitz until a paste is formed. Pour the oil over the garlic paste, add a pinch of salt and place the immersion blender into the jug again. Slowly pull upwards, incorporating the oil gently, until the mixture has emulsified.
5. Prep the cucumbers, thinly slicing them then place into a large bowl. Thinly slice the cabbage and add to the same bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and the juice of a lemon and massage into the cabbage and cucumbers. Add the Greek yoghurt and dill then toss everything together.
6. To the bulgur add a little of the dill, some olive oil, a spoonful of the toum and some salt and pepper and mix through to combine.
7. Bring the flatbreads back to life by toasting over a gas flame or in a very hot pan for a few seconds on each side
8. Remove the lamb from the pan and rest for a few minutes.
9. Serve the bulgur in bowls with the lamb kebabs, cucumber and cabbage salad, toum, some more coriander and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve the remaining toum on the side along with the flatbreads.

For the meatballs:

14 oz ground lamb

2 tablespoons harissa

Handful of fresh cilantro (about 1 cup, chopped)

Handful of dill (about 1 cup, chopped)

1.75 oz breadcrumbs (about 1/2 cup)

Dash of milk (about 1-2 tablespoons)

For the quick toum:

1 head of garlic

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup neutral oil (about 8 oz)

1 cucumber

7 oz Greek yogurt (about 1 cup)

To Serve:

10.5 oz bulgur wheat (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 head of white cabbage

Handful of cilantro (about 1 cup, chopped)

Handful of dill (about 1 cup, chopped)

Juice of 1 lemon

4 flatbreads

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the meatballs:

400g lamb mince

2 tbsps harissa

Handful of fresh coriander

Handful of dill

50g breadcrumbs

Dash of milk

For the quick toum:

1 head of garlic

Juice of ½ lemon

250ml neutral oil

1 cucumber

200g Greek yoghurt

To serve:

300g bulgur wheat

½ head white cabbage

Handful coriander

Handful dill