This is my transcription of another Ottolenghi recipe.

The idea of a peanut gravy may sound strange, but it works really well. This recipe initially caught my eye because a favorite lunch place does a fantastic peanut soup (inspired by the food cultures of the Maghreb, I think), and it really shows that peanuts are for more than cookies.

I’ll be honest, I don’t usually keep many spice mixes on hand, let alone cajun spice mix. If that’s you too, you can improvise something close with either just paprika, or, for something a bit closer, a mix of predominantly paprika with some garlic powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme.

Ingredients

For the garnish

  • 1/2 (about 150 g) cucumber, peeled, halved, crushed, and cut into 1 cm pieces
  • 30 g lime juice
  • 5 g mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 5 g cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 40 g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • Salt

For the meatballs

  • 1 onion, about 130 g corasely grated, the rest thinly sliced
  • 50 g panko breadcrumbs
  • 60 g whole milk
  • 1.5 teaspoons Cajun spice mix
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 500 g ground pork
  • 50 g (about 1) large egg, beaten
  • 15 g neutral oil (e.g., canola)

For the gravy

  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1.5 teaspoons Cajun spice mix
  • 300 g chicken stock
  • 10 g tomato paste
  • 30 g peanut butter
  • 10 g sugar

Method

For the garnish

Combine the cucumber, lime, and thinly sliced onion (from the meatball mix) in a medium bowl. Let that pickle for an hour.

For the meatballs and gravy

In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, breadcrumbs, milk, and Cajun spice mix with salt and pepper to taste. Let the breadcrumbs hydrate, then add the pork and egg. Mix it further to make a homogeneous mixture. Shape it into a large slab, then cover that in plastic and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or overnight.

When the meatball mix is ready, portion it into roughly 30 g portions and roll them into balls.

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan. It should be hot, around 180 °C (350 °F). Then fry the prepared meatballs, turning them to ensure all sides are nicely browned. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a lined tray or plate to drain.

Add the Cajun spice mix and cayenne to the remaining oil and let them bloom for around 30 seconds. Then add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine the sauce into a homogeneous mixture. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it meld and slightly thicken, 5 to 10 minutes.

Replace the meatballs into the sauce to warm them through.

Just before serving, add the mint, cilantro, and peanuts to the garnish, and salt the garnish to taste.