Levantine cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Kebab Karaz (Cherry Kebab)

Small lamb meatballs simmered in a dark sour cherry sauce with pomegranate syrup, served on flatbread with pine nuts.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g ground lamb
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp allspice
• 500 g pitted sour cherries (frozen or jarred)
• 2 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 flatbreads
• 50 g pine nuts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Grate the onion very finely and knead vigorously with the ground lamb, allspice, 1 tsp salt and pepper for 3-4 min, until the mixture is smooth and binds together.
2. With wet hands, shape into 24 walnut-sized balls and chill for 15 min so they hold together while frying.
3. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 min until golden and remove immediately, or they'll turn bitter.
4. Fry the meatballs in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 6-8 min, turning, until browned all over, then set aside.
5. Simmer the sour cherries with the sugar, pomegranate syrup and 100 ml water in the same pot, uncovered, for 15 min until the sauce is dark and syrupy, then add the meatballs and let them heat through for 5 min.
6. Tear the flatbread into pieces, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, top with the meatballs and sauce and serve sprinkled with pine nuts and parsley.