Posted by Turkish meatballs in a light sauce with garlicy yoghurt and serve with grilled kubbus bread on the occasion of 48th UAE National day. This dish appeals to me as there is a unique mix of flavors that complement each other. Just like the different cultures and ethnicities living in complete harmony in this beautiful country.
Packing for a long drive: it does help if you have traveled to the destination before. You have a fair idea of what to expect in terms of food on the way. In the UAE, we are blessed to have a fuel station every 20 kilometers on the national highways. And each one comes with a mini cafe and a general store. I won’t say they are the best choices, but I feel they do help. I usually pack well before any trip. However, chances are you might leave out something.
My packing has evolved over time. From packing diapers, baby food, and loads of extra clothes to just healthy snacks, shades, and few extra clothes for the kiddo. He loves traveling with us now, which is a far cry from what was only a year back. He now carries his own little bag with a few basics. A bottle of water, sanitizer, cap, extra tee-shirt, snack or two and shades. Adults get the same except for more food and water. We try to carry a lot of water in glass bottles, which we can leave behind in the car.
Food is mostly sandwiches and wraps. Snacks like crackers, chips, and Indian snacks. There has to be a stopover for a cup of tea or coffee.
Our recent trip to the Al Ain zoo was filled with surprises. In fact, I visited it before K was born and we loved it. But this time it was different. There are so many engaging activities for kids and abundant open spaces for families to spend some quality time outdoors. The UAE national day holidays were perfect for a quick getaway. The kid’s zoo and the penguins were my son’s favorite. He loves feeding animals and is usually gentle around them. We had a lovely time at the zoo, and the drive was quite peaceful.
I hope you are having a great week.
Turkish Meatballs
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Chicken mince 600 gms
- Onion 1(finely chopped)
- Sumac 11/2 tbsp
- Cumin powder 1 tbsp
- Chili 2
- Paprika 1 tsp
- Chopped coriander and mint 1 cup
- Salt and pepper
Sauce
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Tomato ½
- Chicken stock 1 cube
- Cumin powder ¼ tsp
- Curry powder a pinch or two
Garnish
- Pomegranate arils
- Greek yogurt ½ cup
- Garlic 2 cloves minced
- Olives
- Mint leaves and coriander
Method:
- Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs and half the onion. Roll them into the size you prefer. Shallow fry them in a pan
- Heat another pan and add a little oil. Add garlic and onion, and let it be a bit fragrant. Add the tomato and spices. Cook for a while and add a cup of water along with the stock. Add the meatballs and let them simmer. Once the water is reduced and reaches your desired consistency, turn off the heat. Whip the yogurt with minced garlic.
- Serve the meatballs with whipped yogurt, pomegranate arils, olives, little sumac, and mint leaves.
NOTE: Turkish meatballs are usually made with lamb but I choose chicken to keep it lighter
Magic Ingredient 