STUFFED MEAT ROLLS
SERVES: 4
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) lean lamb or mutton
280 g (10 oz/1½ cups) boiled and strained short-grain white rice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1½ teaspoons Baharat
1½ teaspoons salt
1 egg, beaten
oil, for pan-frying
Filling
55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) yellow split peas, washed
20 g (¾ oz) ghee
2 onions, finely chopped
30 g (1 oz/¼ cup) sultanas (golden raisins)
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon Baharat
salt, to season
To make the filling, gently boil the split peas in a small saucepan with 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) water for 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a frying pan and gently fry the onion until translucent and beginning to brown. Stir in the sultanas and spices.
Add the split peas, season with salt and set aside.
Chop the meat into small pieces and combine in a mixing bowl with the rice, garlic, Baharat and salt. Pass the mixture through a meat grinder twice, using a fine screen; alternatively, process the mixture in two batches in a food processor, using a steel blade. If a grinder was used, beat the mixture to a paste-like consistency.
Take a lump of the meat mixture, about the size of a small egg. Coat your palms with the beaten egg and shape the meat smoothly into a ball. Using a thumb, make a hollow in the ball, moulding the meat to a fairly thin shell. Fill with the filling, then press the opening firmly to close. Reshape into either an oval or an oblong shape with rounded edges. Place on a tray and repeat with the remaining meat mixture and filling.
Heat about 1 cm (½ inch) oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the rolls for about 5 minutes each side. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with salad and flat bread
BRON: Corne Liebenberg –
