Kefta Tagine Crispy Rice Bowl with Lemon Yogurt

Method

1. Grate the kefta onion and squeeze out the juice, then knead it for 1 minute with the beef, half the parsley, half the cumin and paprika and part of the salt. With wet hands, roll into mini 1.5 cm meatballs, small enough to eat in one bite from the bowl.

   Add in this stepMinced beef (15–20% fat) 200 gOnion (for the kefta) 40 gFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 tbspGround cumin ½ tspSweet paprika ½ tspSalt 0.4 tsp

2. Bring a 16 cm pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, gently lower in the eggs with a ladle and boil for 6 min 30 sec. Move them straight into iced water, cool and peel. The whites will be set and the yolks soft and jammy.

   Add in this stepEggs, at room temperature 2

   high heat

3. Heat the olive oil in a 20 cm pan over medium heat and fry the minced garlic for 30 seconds, then add the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, the rest of the cumin and paprika, part of the salt and the water. When it bubbles, add the meatballs, cover and lower to medium-low heat; cook for 14 min in total. It is ready when the sauce has thickened and the meatballs show no pink inside.

   Add in this stepOlive oil 1 tbspGarlic cloves 1Ripe or canned whole tomatoes 240 gTomato paste 1 tbspGround cumin ½ tspSweet paprika ½ tspSalt 0.4 tspWater 50 ml

   medium heat→medium-low heat

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a 24 cm non-stick pan over medium-high heat, spread the cold rice in an even 1.5 cm layer and press it down firmly with a spatula. Leave it untouched for 7 min so the base turns into a deep golden crust. When it crackles and the edges brown, lift it out in large pieces with a spatula.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for crisping the rice) 2 tbspCold cooked rice, a day old 360 g

   medium-high heat

5. Stir lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt into the yoghurt. Cut the cucumber into 1 cm dice.

   Add in this stepGreek yoghurt 6 tbspLemon ½Salt ¼ tspCucumber 80 g

6. Put the crispy rice in bowls and spoon plenty of kefta and sauce over one side. Add a dollop of lemon yoghurt, the cucumber, a halved jammy egg, the rest of the parsley and torn mint, and eat straight away.

   Add in this stepFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 tbspFresh mint leaves 8