Ingredients

• 8 cardamom pods
• 2 tsp coriander seed
• 4 large cloves garlic
• large pinch salt
• 300g/11oz lean beef mince
• 200g/7oz pork mince
• ½ tsp turmeric
• chilli powder
• to taste
• 1 free-range egg; beaten
• 1-2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 115g/4oz cream cheese
• 200g/7oz baby plum tomatoes
• cut in half lengthways
• 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• toasted
• 4 shallots
• finely sliced and deep-fried
• 150g/5½oz mixed salad leaves
• 2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp finely chopped oregano
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• For the meatballs
• take the seeds out of cardamom
• place into a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar with the coriander and grind to a fine powder. Chop the garlic with the salt until it forms a paste
• or add it to the pestle and mortar.
• Place the beef and pork into a bowl and mix together vigorously to soften the texture – this will help stop the cheese escaping.
• Add the ground spices
• turmeric
• chilli powder and garlic then mix really well with your hands and add the beaten egg.
• Wet your hands
• take pieces of the mixture and form into meatballs the size of ping-pong balls. You should have about 12 meatballs.
• Lightly oil a clean work surface with a little of the groundnut oil and gently press the balls into flattened circles
• Put a teaspoon of cream cheese in the centre of each meat circle and carefully bring the meat up round it to enclose the cheese completely
• making rather larger meatballs. Roll gently and make sure there are no holes.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the remaining oil and fry the meatballs for 10 minutes over medium high heat
• turning regularly. Place the meatballs into a serving dish and keep warm.
• Turn the heat right up then add the tomatoes to the pan
• flash-fry them quickly then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the the yoghurt.
• For the salad
• toss together the leaves and herbs in a large bowl. Whisk the vinegar
• mustard and olive oil together and season with salt and black pepper
• then toss together with the salad leaves.
• To serve
• arrange the salad around the edge of a platter then place the meatballs in the centre. Pour the tomatoes over the meatballs and garnish with the chopped coriander
• almonds and fried shallots.