Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 1 small onion
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ cup prepared tamarind (see above for swaps)
- 2 cans sweet cherries in juice (or sub 16 oz frozen cherries)
For the meatballs:
- 1½ lb lean ground beef
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground allspice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Dice the onion and add it to the pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
- While the onions are sautéing, prepare the meatballs. Combine the beef, salt and allspice in a medium bowl. Gently form walnut-size meatballs and set aside.
- Once the onions are translucent, add the lemon juice, sugar, salt, allspice, tamarind and cherries (with liquid) to the pot. Stir to dissolve sugar. Raise the heat to medium and let the sauce come to a simmer. Carefully drop meatballs into the sauce. Cover the pot halfway and simmer for 1½ hours. Stir twice throughout cooking, lowering heat if needed.
- After 1½ hours, the meatballs will be deeply browned and glossy, and the sauce will have reduced and thickened. Serve over rice.
Notes
This dish can be prepared in advance. The meatballs can be made a day ahead of time and stored on a covered plate in the refrigerator. The meatballs can also be frozen raw; there’s no need to defrost them before adding to the sauce. Alternatively, the finished dish can be frozen. Reheat, covered, in a 375°F oven or in a saucepan over low heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One-pot
- Cuisine: Sephardi