One of the highlights of my visit to Casablanca, aside from the bustling markets and the magnificent King Hassan II Mosque, was sitting down to enjoy a traditional meatball stew, locally known as Kefta Mkaouara. It was served in the traditional clay tangine with a side warm crusty bread. Nestled in the rich tomato sauce were tender perfectly seasoned meatballs, gently simmered until they absorbed all the wonderful flavours of the sauce.
What makes this dish truly unique is the addition of eggs, cracked directly into the stew on the final stages of cooking. This results in silky yolks and just poached whites.
Dining in Casablanca offered a glimpse into Morocco’s vibrant food culture.While dishes such as couscous and tangines are well known, this humble meatball stew showcased the heart of Moroccan home cooking- simple ingredients transformed into something delicious. As I sat enjoying my meal, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a vibrant city, I couldn’t help but appreciate how food connects travellers to a place in a way that sightseeing alone never can.This meatball stew wasn’t just lunch, it was a taste of Morocco. So if you ever find yourself there, make sure to try the Moroccan Meatball Stew. It may just become one of your favourite travel memories. Meanwhile try my version in the recipe below.
What you need to make Moroccan Meatball Stew
- Beef or Lamb Mince
- Veggies – Onion,garlic,potato,celery,carrot,capsicum,tomatoes
- From the Pantry – Canned chickpeas,turmeric,cumin,paprika,ginger powder and salt and pepper. Traditionally, the spice used is called ras al hanout,a blend of spices used extensively in Moroccan cooking. If you have this spice blend, then use it instead. You need 2 teaspoons of ras al hanout, in place of the spices mentioned above.
- From the Fridge – Eggs, one per person
How to make Moroccan Meatball Stew
- Prepare meatballs and brown in a little bit of oil. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan , make the sauce.
- Add meatballs to the pan and simmer until cooked through. Make four wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each well. Cover and cook until eggs are done to your liking about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley and coriander.
To serve…
- I love mine poured over Jasmine Rice. Not traditional but delicious.
- Crusty sourdough or warm Moroccan bread. Perfect for sopping up every last bit of the sauce.
- Couscous
- A simple cucumber and tomato salad
Notes
- Cook the stew in à tangine if you have one. I was very tempted to get one while in Morocco, but I believe in travelling light and the thought of a hand carried precious cargo stopped me from buying one.
- Lamb mince can be used instead of beef, or a combination of both.
- Use green peas if you don’t have chick peas. Add more veggies like zucchini and carrots if desired.
- Don’t be daunted by the long list of spices. If you’re missing one or two, I’m pretty sure it will still be scrumptious.
- Serve with steamed rice for gluten free option.
- This taste even better the next day if you have leftovers as the spices have more time to develop. Just crack another egg or two when you warm it up.
If you want a Moroccan inspired dessert, try my version of Moroccan Date and Walnut Slice. And while you’re here, don’t forget to say hello via a comment in the comment section below. I would love to hear from you.
Moroccan Meatball Stew with Eggs (Kefta Mkaouara)
4
servings15
minutes45
minutesTraditional Stew of Meatballs Vegetables and Eggs
Ingredients
- Meatballs
1 Onion, peeled grated
500 grams lamb or beef mince
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 potato, peeled and grated
1 Egg
- Base Sauce
3 tablespoon olive oil
6 Cloves garlic,peeled minced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 Can 400g chopped tomatoes or 4 diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 Can 400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 red capsicum, deseeded and sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
1 teaspoon stock powder, like Vegeta, chicken or beef
salt and pepper to taste
- To Finish
4 eggs
chopped fresh parsley/coriander
Crusty Bread or Rice
Directions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix until just combined. Roll into golf ball sized meatballs.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or tangine over medium heat and brown meatballs for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set meatballs aside. They don’t have to cook through.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the spices- cumin, paprika, ginger and cinnamon. Then add tomatoes,celery tomato paste, honey, stock powder and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add browned meatballs, drained chickpeas and capsicum to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes by which time the meatballs are cooked and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make four small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook 5-8 minutes or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
- Sprinkle with parsley and coriander before serving.
