Dawood Basha
Dawood Basha (Middle Eastern Meatball Stew ) is my all time favorite Middle Eastern Stew. It originated in Lebanon during Ottoman rule. Dawood means 'David' and Basha means 'officer'. We know little much else on the origins of the name. I urge you to make this, you won't regret it.
Organic Ingredients Serves 4-6
For the Meatballs:
2 Lbs Minced Grass Fed Beef, or use 1Lb Ground Beef and 1 Lb Ground Lamb
1 Organic Onion, finely diced
2 Cups of fresh Organic Parsley, finely diced
Spices - 1 Paprika, 1 Tsp. Cumin, 1/2 Tsp. Turmeric, 1/2 Tsp. Coriander
Sea Salt, to taste
For the Sauce:
3 Onions, cut into thin crescents. Cut the Onion in half, from tip to toe vertically, and then into thin crescents. Divide using your fingers. (see image below)
Ground Spices: 2 Tsp. Paprika, 1 Tsp. Allspice, 1/2 Tsp. Turmeric, 1/2 Tsp. Coriander
2 Jars/4 Cups Crushed Tomatoes.
1 Cup Water
Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Avocado Oil/Ghee for cooking
1 Cups Pine Nuts
Sea Salt, to taste
Method
Mix Meatball ingredients together and form into balls with your hands.
Heat a large non stick pan with a few tablespoons of Cooking Oil to medium high heat and brown the meat balls, rotating every 30 seconds or so for even results. Do not over crowd your pan, you'll need freedom to maneuver the Meatballs around and will need to do this in batches of 3 or 4 making sure to change the oil if it gets too dark and groggy. You'll want the Meatballs to be slightly browned on the outside and raw on the inside. Remove Meatballs from pan and set aside.
Add Onion Crescents into the pan and cook for a few minutes or until translucent. Add Crushed Tomatoes, Spices, Salt and Water and bring to a boil. Add Meatballs back in, stir, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the Stew simmer for at least an hour and up to two hours.
Spread about 2 Cups of Raw Pine Nuts on a Baking Dish. Roast on 400F until browned, mixing with a wooden spoon half way through - not longer than 5 minutes,...they burn really quickly. Alternatively saute the Pine Nuts on medium heat in a pan stove top in a scant amount of Olive Oil until toasted. Remove and add into the Stew.
