We know offal isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but you’d be surprised at how tasty and flavourful these beef liver meatballs with coconut sauce and flatbreads are! Pair them with a side of veggies for a delicious lunch or dinner.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp garlic powder
500 g beef mince
250 g calf livers, finely chopped
10 g parsley, roughly chopped
1 egg
Salt and black pepper
Flour, to coat
For the coconut sauce
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
¼ cup desiccated coconut, toasted
1 tsp cumin
1 cup coconut cream
1 lemon, zest
For the flatbreads
1½ tbsp yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil

METHOD
For the meatballs
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry onion until golden.
2. Add spices. Cook on low heat for a few minutes, until fragrant.
3. Combine the mince, livers and onion mixture. Add parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Roll into balls and coat in flour.
4. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil and fry meatballs until golden brown all over. Leave to rest.
For the coconut sauce
1. Heat butter and oil until they start to darken in colour.
2. Fry garlic for 2 minutes. Add coconut and cumin, and fry until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
3. Stirring continuously, add the coconut cream. Return to the heat and cook on low for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
For the flatbreads
1. Sprinkle the yeast into 1 cup lukewarm water. Leave it to sit until frothy.
2. Mix the flour, salt, other 1 cup water and yeast mixture.
3. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
4. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to proof for 15 minutes.
5. Brush the dough and your hands with oil. Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand and shape  into a rectangle. Brush with more oil.
6. Fold a third of each rectangle to the centre. Repeat with the opposite third, overlapping the 2 flaps. Then fold into a square and roll out until even.
7. Heat some vegetable oil. Fry each square for 5 minutes on each side, until golden.
8. Serve flatbreads topped with meatballs and coconut sauce.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen/HMimages.co.za