Sami Tamimi’s recipes for lamb meatballs with spinach and chickpea stew, and red rice

This is the kind of meal I love for its generosity and simplicity. A comforting spinach and chickpea stew (sabanekh), scattered with tender lamb meatballs and finished with a bright squeeze of lemon. And, alongside, Iraqi red rice (timman ahmar) brings warmth, colour and a gentle sweetness from the tomato, and soaks up the rich, savoury juices of the stew. Together, they form a hearty meal made for sharing.

Lamb meatballs, spinach and chickpea stew (sabanekh)

Sabanekh is a beloved spinach stew across the Levant, and here I’ve added lamb meatballs to make it a more substantial meal. The combination of cumin, coriander and garlic gives warmth and depth, while a generous squeeze of lemon brightens everything. Serve with rice or warm flatbread to soak up the delicious, fragrant sauce.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4-6

500g lamb mince
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp baharat mix
4 tbsp olive oil
30g pine nuts
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped (180g)
600g frozen whole-leaf spinach
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
500ml water or chicken stock
Rice and/or flatbread, to serve
2 tbsp lemon juice , plus lemon wedges, to serve

For the adha garnish
60ml olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
20g fresh coriander, finely chopped
½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes

Put the mince in a medium bowl, add a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of baharat and a third of a teaspoon of black pepper, and mix well. Shape the meat into 25 balls (about 20g each) and set aside.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for three to four minutes, until golden brown. Spoon the pine nuts into a bowl.

Add the meatballs to the pan in two batches and cook until brown all over. Remove the meat from the pan and add the remaining two tablespoons of oil and the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, for seven minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the spinach, chickpeas, water/stock, lemon juice, one teaspoon of salt, a good grind of black pepper, and the remaining half-teaspoon of baharat. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, until the spinach is soft. Return the meatballs to the pan, cover and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, until the stew has thickened slightly.

To make the adha garnish, put the oil and garlic in a small frying pan on a medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for two to three minutes, until the garlic is lightly golden, then take off the heat and stir in the coriander and chilli. Pour the adha over the stew, cover and leave for five minutes.

Scatter over the toasted pine nuts and serve hot with the red rice below, or plain steamed rice, and lots of lemon wedges.

Red rice (timman ahmar)

A simple and deeply comforting rice dish, known for its rich colour and savoury flavour. Traditionally made by cooking rice with tomato, onion and spices, it’s the kind of everyday dish that sits naturally at the centre of the Iraqi table. The gentle sweetness of the tomato is balanced by warm spices, while the rice remains light and fluffy. Serve alongside stews, grilled meats or vegetables.

Prep 15 min
Soak 20 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 4–6

300g basmati rice
3 tbsp vegetable oil
120g vermicelli, broken into small pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped (120g)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 green chilli, finely chopped (seeds removed if you want less heat)
2 tbsp tomato puree
1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
1½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 large tomato (140g), finely chopped
1 green pepper, stalk, pith and seeds removed, flesh finely chopped (160g)
600ml hot vegetable stock
25g unsalted butter
Salt and black pepper

Rinse the rice under cold running water several times, until the water runs clear. Leave the rice to soak in fresh water for 20 minutes, then drain well.

Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan on a medium heat. Add the vermicelli, cook, stirring, for five minutes, until golden brown, then tip on to a plate.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of oil and the onion to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for seven minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and chilli, and cook for a minute. Add the tomato puree, pomegranate molasses and spices, and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato and green pepper, and cook for three minutes. Add the drained rice and toasted vermicelli, and stir gently for a minute, making sure all of the grains are coated in the tomato sauce.

Pour in the hot stock and add the butter, one and a quarter teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and leave to cook on a very low heat for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, then serve.