I believe everyone has a cousin that you have grown up with and he\she is about your best friend. At least I hope for everyone to have one, because it’s one of the most amazing things there is.
I have Maayan. Holidays, Saturdays, summer vacations and even weekdays – we have spent together. We went through everything together. We shared everything, consulted about every little thing, experienced first loves, first break ups, weddings, etc.
And until about three years ago, Maayan was still living in Jerusalem and we lived very close.
When she gave birth to her first daughter, Noya, she lived close to my parents’ house and we spent a lot of time together.
Like all the women in the family, she is too blessed with great cooking skills.
One of the recipes she would do quite regularly for her baby daughter is meatballs – but with ground chicken breast instead of ground beef. When I went to visit her, the first thing I checked was the pots on the stove, and if there was a pot with meatballs I would fix myself a plate.
Even though I do not like meat (of all kinds) or chicken, and to be honest, I almost do not make meatballs, because Dima is not a fan of them, lately I have a craving for them.
Maybe because the weather in Milwaukee is much cooler than Arizona, maybe because I’m pregnant and the fetus is probably a serious carnivore, or maybe just because I miss Maayan.
For this dish you may use a food processor but even if you don’t have one, you can make it and it’s really not much work.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. of ground chicken breast - You can also use ground beef or half-half.
- 1 Large grated onion
- 1 large grated zucchini
- 1 bunch of parsley / cilantro
- 1 Egg
- 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste.
-
- For the sauce:
- 1 onion
- 1 zucchini cut into cubes
- 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt by taste
- 4-5 slices of jalapeno (optional)
Instructions
1
If you use a food processor, put all the chicken balls' ingredients in a food processor and grind. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
2
If you do not have a food processor:
3
Grate the zucchini and the onion over a thin grater and let them strain the liquid and even squeeze the mixture to rapid the straining.
4
Chop the parsley.
5
Place all the ingredients of the chicken meat balls in a bowl and mix well and let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
6
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
7
Slice the onion and the garlic thinly and cut the zucchini into cubes.
8
Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pan and fry the onion. When the onions become brownish, add the zucchini.
9
After the zucchini is lightly brown, add the garlic, the jalapeno, the tomato paste and add a 2 cups of boiling water.
10
Bring to a boil and simmer - wait for the sauce to thicken (about 15 minutes).
11
Make small balls from the mixture and add to the sauce.
12
Important: Make sure the heat is higher and add the balls gradually, so that the sauce's temperature will not cool down and be too low. If it will, the balls will break apart.
13
Cook for half an hour on low heat.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. of ground chicken breast - You can also use ground beef or half-half.
- 1 Large grated onion
- 1 large grated zucchini
- 1 bunch of parsley / cilantro
- 1 Egg
- 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- For the sauce:
- 1 onion
- 1 zucchini cut into cubes
- 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt by taste
- 4-5 slices of jalapeno (optional)
Instructions
If you use a food processor, put all the chicken balls' ingredients in a food processor and grind. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
If you do not have a food processor:
Grate the zucchini and the onion over a thin grater and let them strain the liquid and even squeeze the mixture to rapid the straining.
Chop the parsley.
Place all the ingredients of the chicken meat balls in a bowl and mix well and let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
Slice the onion and the garlic thinly and cut the zucchini into cubes.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pan and fry the onion. When the onions become brownish, add the zucchini.
After the zucchini is lightly brown, add the garlic, the jalapeno, the tomato paste and add a 2 cups of boiling water.
Bring to a boil and simmer - wait for the sauce to thicken (about 15 minutes).
Make small balls from the mixture and add to the sauce.
Important: Make sure the heat is higher and add the balls gradually, so that the sauce's temperature will not cool down and be too low. If it will, the balls will break apart.
Cook for half an hour on low heat.
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