Ramadan recipe of the day: Date meatballs with herbal labneh

Abdulrahman and Maitha Al Hashmi, better known as ‘The Twin Emirati Chefs’, are the youngest qualified national chefs in the UAE.

Graduating at the remarkable age of 13 from the International Centre for Culinary Arts, Dubai with a Diploma in Hospitality, they have made their mark on the culinary industry. With a strong foundation provided by their parents and grandmother, they have developed fusion-style dishes that infuse Arabic and Emirati flavours into traditional dishes from around the world, resulting in new and exciting creations.

Here is a recipe they have shared:

Ingredients

Meat making

1kg Minced Nuaimi lamb

38g Onion

34g Chopped garlic

27g Parsley

10g Mint

48g Pine nuts

18g Paprika powder

6g Garlic powder

3g Cayenne pepper powder

3g Black pepper

9g Salt

9g Cumin

48g Date molasses

70g Chopped dates

Labneh mixture

500g Fresh labneh

40g Heavy cream

5g Salt

3g Minced Garlic

6g Dill

20g Parsley

6g Mint

35g Olive oil

For garnish

Pomegranate arils

Pine nuts

Fresh rocket leaves

METHOD

Labneh

1. Mix the labneh and heavy cream. Add chopped garlic, dill, parsley, and mint. Add olive oil then mix (Add more cream if needed).

2. Season with salt and pepper. Add a squeeze of lemon for more flavour.

Meat-making

1. Add the lamb to a mixing bowl. Then add garlic and onion and mix.

2. Toast pine nuts in a pan and chop it finely, then set it aside to cool down.

3. Add parsley, mint and the chopped dates. Add all the spices. Add the date molasses to the mix.

4. Mix all the ingredients until well combined.

5. Form equal balls from the minced lamb.

6. Butter a frying pan and stir fry the meatballs until the colour changes.

7. Transfer the labneh mixture to a plate. Make it the base of the dish.

8. Garnish with pomegranate arils, pine nuts, and fresh rocket leaves.

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