Mtewem (Arabic مثوم ) is an Arabic word which means “ with garlic” It is mainly made of meat ( lamb, beef or even chicken), meatballs ( lamb or beef) and garlic ( Arabic ثوم ). This dish is fragrant with cumin.
Mtewem can be prepared with red sauce or white sauce. I added turmeric to the white sauce as in my opinion it looks and tastes better ( personal choice).
First, prepare the meatballs by mixing all the ingredients and form walnut size meatballs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Prepare the meat sauce: Put oil and ghee in a large saucepan. Add the minced onion, garlic, meat, chickpeas, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, then lower the heat and let cook for a good 10 minutes. Make sure to stir from time to time.
Add boiled water to cover the meat. Increase the heat until the sauce boil then decrease it again to medium.
Let cook for about 30 minutes or until the meat and chickpeas are cooked.
Algerian Meatballs in a Chickpea Sauce – Mtewem
Ingredients
For the meat sauce
- 1 lb beef
- 2 cups chickpeas
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Chopped parsley for garnish (I like to use cilantro)
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg white
Instructions
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First, mix the meatballs ingredients (you may not need to use the whole egg white but the mixture should be very soft) and form walnuts size meatballs. Set aside.
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Prepare the meat sauce: put oil and ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.
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Add the meat pieces, the minced onion, garlic, chickpeas, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper.
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Let cook for a good 10 minutes. Make sure to stir from time to time.
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Cover the meat with boiled water.
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Let cook covered until the chickpeas and meat are cooked (on medium heat).
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Reduce the heat to low and add the meatballs.
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Let cook for about 15 to 20 minutes on low. Adjust the seasoning and add salt if needed. The sauce should be reduced and thickened.
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Garnish with chopped parsley (I like to use cilantro too).
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Serve.
Recipe Notes
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You can place a whole almond (blanched) in each meatball, then put the garnished meatballs in the sauce (optional).
- Some recipes calls for cinnamon ( I don’t like it in this recipe). You can add cinnamon powder to the meatballs and cinnamon stick to the sauce if you like it.
- I use US cups in my recipes.