Lamb kifta tagine with eggs

Meatballs with a difference! This makes a tasty supper dish, and with its spicy tomato sauce and rich runny eggs is bound to become a firm favourite.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
500g	lamb, finely minced
1	medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons	finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon	cayenne pepper
	salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons	olive oil, for frying

Quantity	Ingredient
2 tablespoons	olive oil
2	medium onions, finely chopped
1	garlic clove, finely chopped
2 x 400g	cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon	ground cumin
1 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon	cayenne pepper
	sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500ml	water
1/4 cup	finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup	finely chopped coriander leaves
6	free-range eggs
	baby radish leaves and sage flowers, to garnish (optional)
	arabic flatbread, to serve
or	Quick buttered couscous, to serve
	natural yoghurt, to serve

To make the meatballs, thoroughly mix all the ingredients, except for the oil, and with wet hands, form into walnut-sized balls. Heat the oil and brown the meatballs all over. Drain well on paper towel.
For the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole dish and lightly sauté the onions and garlic until they are translucent. Add the tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Then add the water, stir again and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until it has reduced to a very thick gravy.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking for a further 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley and coriander. Carefully break the eggs into the sauce, cover the pan with a lid and cook until the eggs are just set, which will take about 5 minutes.
Serve at once, straight from the pot, liberally garnished with the radish leaves and flowers, if using, and with plenty of Arabic flatbread to mop up the runny egg yolks. Alternatively, accompany with a dish of plain buttered couscous and a dollop of thick natural yoghurt.
Those who enjoy a more piquant dish may add one finely chopped bullet chilli while sautéing the onion and garlic.