Pepo & Friends Pilaf with Moroccan Spiced Meatballs

February 03, 2022

This beautiful pilaf combines our pumpkin seeds and walnuts together with the lovely high country saffron by Gamila, awesome chicken bone broth from our friends at Tonemade and delicious dehydrated apricot & pear from our the team at Purepick. Its savoury, nutty and sweet. Perfect as a side with other dishes like these Moroccan spiced meatballs with our nutty pumpkin seed flour.

Serves 4 people comfortably

For the pilaf you'll need:

1 cup of basmati rice
1 small brown onion finely chopped
1/2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP hazelnut oil plus extra for drizzling
3 garlic cloves
2/3 cup mixed seeds & nuts (we used equal amounts of pumpkin seeds & walnuts)
2/3 cup mixed dried fruit (we used Aussie apricots and sultanas)
1 & 3/4 cups of Tonemade Chicken bone broth made to jar instructions adding the salt flakes below to dissolve (You could also use their vegetable miso broth for vegetarian option)
1tsp salt flakes
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and cracked black pepper
8 drops of saffron extract by Gamila or a small pinch of saffron bloomed in 1TBSP water
juice of 1/2 lemon

For the meatballs you'll need:

~500g lamb or beef mince
1 onion (grated)
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
2TBSP pumpkin seed flour
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 large egg
1/2 cup of finely chopped coriander leaves & stems
1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, paprika & cinnamon
1 tsp salt flakes
cracked black pepper
Sunflower oil for frying

Method for Pilaf:

Add walnuts & pumpkin seeds to a dry pan over medium heat and toast until golden brown & fragrant. put aside
Melt butter and hazelnut oil in a medium dutch oven/saucepan over medium heat then add onions & garlic and sauté until translucent
Add rice and stir for 1-2min or until partly translucent
Add spices and stir around. Add broth, saffron extract & dried fruit stirring also
Cover with the lid, bring to a simmer turning down heat to lowest setting.
Cook for 15-20mins until all liquid is absorbed and rice is just starting to stick to the bottom (if unsure carefully tilt the pot to see that the liquid has all absorbed).
Remove from heat and allow to stand for 10mins with the lid on
Fluff with a fork and mix through most of the toasted nuts & seeds and parsley & squeeze of lemon
When serving, drizzle over some more hazelnut oil and garnish with remaining toasted nuts and parsley

Method for meatballs:

Mix all the meatball ingredients except the oil into a large mixing bowl (ideally use hands to get everything incorporated)
Measure out mixture using a heaped TBSP or small ice-cream scoop then roll into balls. This will give you ~20 meatballs. Set aside on a baking tray and refrigerate to help them set if you have time
Heat sunflower oil in a large saucepan/skillet to cover the base of the pan over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches ensuring not to overload the pan until they are browned all over and cooked through (roughly 8-10mins)
Transfer to a plate with paper towel & cook remaining meatballs

Delicious with some Greek yoghurt or a creamy mint dressing. Enjoy!