Moroccan Inspired Meat Balls and Couscous Salad

 

 

Hello my Dear Wonderful Readers!

It’s Friday and I cannot wait for tomorrow! Weekends have become some thing I treasure so dearly. You would think that wouldn’t make so much of a difference for a stay at home mom right?? But yeah! Weekend = cleaning the place up without going around in circles, making food without worrying if my son is dancing on the dining table, sharing one meal with my husband alone!! and more importantly not having an audience when I have to go to the bathroom! Yes. Weekends are a luxury for a stay at home mom. Also hopefully I will get one post done over the next two days. Some times while I am on Instagram looking at various other bloggers, i can’t believe how they get so much done every single day. Like there’s a photo of their morning jog, then the breakfast, then the outfit of the day and then lunch and then some nail colour they changed and then drinks in the evening, a nice book before bed! How??? Hats off to them.

I get up every morning wishing my son would sleep for 5 more minutes 😛 How come I haven’t heard people talking about how they got their children to brush their teeth. My son refuses to open his mouth. And for some reason if he does open his mouth he make sure he bites onto the brush like its a piece of meat in a Piranha’s mouth. You think he would let it go if  you tried yanking it out right? nooooo way! My mornings start with the most futile activity ever.

This is followed by running behind both father and son to finish their respective breakfasts. Guess who I am feeding and who’s learning to eat on his own. Lol! Oh well. I look at all the things that happen every day and I laugh at how I would get scared when I goofed up at work. Compared to what I do today, the emails and meeting feel like walking on soft, white linen sheets.

So yes, my weekends are days when I have a few moments to myself and those golden moments are so precious to me just like all other working moms 🙂

Enough of my rant (for now)! Enjoy this Moroccan inspired chicken salad with some delicious Couscous salad.

Ingredients for the Couscous Salad 

1. Couscous – 2 cups
2. Water – 2 cups or more (boiling hot)
3. Salt – 1 tsp
4. Cucumber – 2 cups ( chopped)
5. Onions – 1 cup ( chopped)
6. Tomatoes – 1 cup (chopped)
7. Fresh Mint Leaves – 1 cup
8. Parsley – 1/2 cup ( chopped)
9. Garlic – 1 tbsp ( chopped fine)
10. Pepper – 2 tsp
11. Green Chilli – 1 ( slit into two and de seeded)
12. Lime Juice – juice of 1 lime
13. Pomegranate – 1/2 cup
14. Olive Oil – 3 tbsp

 

Instructions :-

1. Take a large bowl and drop the couscous. Now pour as much boiling water as required to submerge all the grains completely. Cover and set aside
2. In another bowl combine all ingredients except the salt and the pomegranate. Make sure you tear up the mint leaves and not chop them so they remain nice and fresh
3. After 10 mins you will see the the couscous come to life! they will bloom and gain considerable size
4. Take a fork and combe through the couscous and finally drop it into the bowl of vegetables
5. Slowly toss the mixture around and season according to taste
6. Finally add the pomegranate seeds to the salad and drizzle olive oil over the top
7. Serve right away

Ingredients for the Meat Balls :-

For the Meat Balls – 

1. Minced Chicken – 1 kg
2. Onions – 2 cups ( chopped fine)
3. Parsley – 1 cup ( chopped fine)
4. Mint Leaves – 1 cup ( chopped fine)
5. Cumin Powder – 1 tbsp
6. Smoked Paprika Powder – 1 tbsp ( add more if you like it hot)
7. Salt – according to taste
8. Pepper Powder – 1 tsp
9. Garlic – 3 – 4 cloves ( crushed)
10. Bread – 2 slices  (powdered in a blender)
11. Eggs – 1 ( whisked well)

Instructions :- 

1. In a large bowl add ingredients 1 to 9. Mix well with your hands to distribute all the spices well
2. Now add the bread crumbs and whisked eggs
3. Line your baking tray with baking paper and set aside
4. Slowly make small bowls of the meat and set over the prepared baking tray
5. Once you are done with all the meat, place the baking tray in the fridge for 20 mins
6. During this time pre heart your oven to 200 C
7. After 20 mins, pop the baking tray into the oven and bake for 30 – 40 mins or till they turn golden brown.
8. During the baking time lets get started with the curry

Ingredients for the Curry :-

1. Onions – 2 cups ( chopped)
2. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
3. Tomato Puree – 1 cup (concentrate)
4. Cumin Powder  – 2 tsp
5. Smoked Paprika Powder – 1 tsp
6. Oil – 2 tbsp ( olive oil)
7. Chicken Stock – 1 + 1/2 cup
8. Parsley – 1/2 cup ( fresh chopped)

 

Instructions- 

1. Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot, add ginger garlic paste and onions
2. Fry till the onions are translucent
3. Then add cumin powder and paprika powder
4. Fry just for a min and then add the tomato puree ( add one small tomato cut into small pieces just for a little munch)
5. Finally add the stock and cover and cook for 10 mins
6. By this time you should  have your meat balls ready
7. Add the meat balls and cover and cook for another 5 mins
8. Turn the flame off and add the parsley
9. Serve right away with the couscous salad !! Enjoy