Meatball Stew (Ras Asfour)

4.91 from 10 votes

Mini-meatballs simmered in a tomato stew, with peas, and cubed potatoes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern

Servings: Servings

Calories: 272kcal

Add ground beef to a bowl along with minced onions, chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, allspice, and curry. Using your hands, work the ingredients together until fully blended.
Pinch off small pieces of meat (approximately the size of a bird's head) and roll them between your palms to shape them into small balls. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture until the mixture is used up.

Heat oil in a medium-sized pot and fry the meatballs. After a few minutes, add cubed potatoes. Fry for up to five minutes or until browned.
Heat 3 cups of water and add the tomato paste. Stir until dissolved. Add chopped tomato, parsley, salt, paprika, and lemon juice and stir to combine. Pour sauce over the meatballs and potatoes, then add the frozen peas.
Bring stew to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare plain white rice or vermicelli rice. Serve meatball stew accompanied by rice and pickled sunchokes or other mixed pickles/torshi.

For a thicker stew, add an additional tablespoon of tomato paste.
If you like spicy food, add ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper to the stew prior to simmering it.
A few cloves of garlic added to the stew prior to simmering it would be a great addition.
When making the meatballs, some of the onion inevitably falls out. Instead of tossing it, add it to the stew for more flavor.
For an even healthier version, use ground turkey instead of beef.