Spiced ostrich meatballs with herbed cauliflower rice

Looking for a healthier alternative to regular meatballs? These ones are made with lean ostrich mince. Toss in some cauliflower rice jazzed up with dukkah, nutmeg and mint and you have a banting-friendly meal fit for a king

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy, 1 hour

Meatballs:

500g ostrich mince

1 large onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

2 large eggs

5ml (1 tsp) dried chilli flakes

5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander

5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin

2.5ml (½ tsp) mixed spice

5ml (1 tsp) salt

Oil, for frying

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Herbed cauliflower rice:

1 head cauliflower, pulsed in a food processor or grated to form granules

30ml (2 tbsp) water

15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

2.5ml (½ tsp) salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Small handful fresh mint, chopped

Small handful fresh parsley, chopped

45ml (3 tbsp) pistachio dukkah, plus extra to serve (dukkah is an Egyptian spice blend of toasted nuts and seeds)

Fruit chutney, to serve

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Method:

1) Combine all the meatball ingredients (except the oil) in a bowl and mix well. Shape into 12 balls and place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

2) Heat about 2cm oil in a pan and fry the meatballs in batches for about 3 minutes on each side until brown.

3) Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the meatballs in an ovenproof dish and bake for 15 minutes (do not overcook - ostrich meat is lean and will dry out quickly).

4) For the herbed cauliflower rice, place the cauliflower granules in a large pan with the water, oil, salt and nutmeg. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Once the cauliflower is tender, stir in the herbs and dukkah.

5) Serve the meatballs on the cauliflower rice, with extra dukkah sprinkled on top and chutney on the side.