Because who doesn't love a complete meal in a bowl? Especially one that is easy, healthy and comes together in less than 30 minutes.
When we tried this recipe for a Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl from Beyond Curry, we knew we had to share it with you all! It’s packed full of flavor and is also very customizable. Feel free to switch up the protein or veggies to make this dish your own!
Bowls are becoming a go to favorite in my house. To be honest with you, this one here started out as an experiment but I am really pleased how well farro took on the Indian flavors paired with it. I present to you the Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl with sweet potatoes and any other fix ins you like.
There are three main components to this dish- first the farro that I soaked for 30 minutes and then pressure cooked with some cumin seeds, ghee and asafetida. The nuttiness and crunch in the farro makes a great substitute for brown rice and quinoa. In addition this grain is rich in fiber, high in protein and low in calories too!
Next up is the meatball. This has to be the easiest one I have made and really healthy except a tsp of indulgence which you will find out about in the recipe shortly.
And last but not the least the sweet potatoes-I used 2 large sweet potatoes and roasted them in the oven at 425 F with a few spices and a generous drizzle of lemon juice at the end. So good and really you can eat this on its own or add to a salad or bowl of choice.
The whole bowl comes together in 30 minutes excluding the soaking time for the farro. In my experience the meatballs when made with turkey stay moist and juicy when made in a cast iron pan and you can deglaze all the juices in the pan to keep them soft and delicious. If you have a recipe for keeping them moist when baking in the oven do share.
Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro soaked for 30 minutes
- 1 tsp ghee / clarified butter
- 1 tsp cumin seeds / sabut jeera
- 1/2 tsp asafetida / hing
- 2 cups water
- 2 sweet potatoes large cut into 2" cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pepper powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder / dhania powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder / kashmiri mirch
- 2 tsp dry mango powder / amchur optional
- 16 oz minced turkey
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp turmeric / haldi
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tsp fine semolina / rava
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese optional
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- cherry tomatoes
- scallions chopped
- avocado slices
- toasted sesame or garlic
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker or heavy bottomed pan heat the ghee and add cumin seeds.
- Once the seeds splutter add the asafetida and drained farro. Mix well and cook on medium low for 3 minutes.
- Next add the salt, water, and pressure on medium high for 2 whistles. If using a heavy bottomed pan, bring to a boil and then cook covered for 15 -20 minutes stirring and checking for the farro to be cooked and most of the water absorbed.
- Mix all the ingredients and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan/ cast iron pan and add the oil.
- Make 12 balls and put a tsp of shredded cheese in the center and seal it in. I like to use mozzarella but you can use whatever at hand or leave it out completely.
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a baking sheet with some cooking spray.
- In a bowl mix the spices, with the oil and toss the sweet potatoes in it.
- Spread on the sheet pan and put in oven for 15 -20 minutes on the medium rack.
- Place the meatballs in the hot pan and cook for 15- 20 minutes turning them over halfway to get a nice crisp on both sides. Usually I cook the meatballs to 170F internal temperature.
- Once the meatballs are done, reduce the heat to low, add the lemon juice and some water to deglaze the pan. Mix it well and take it off the heat.
- Place the farro, meatballs and sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add your choice of fix ins and enjoy!
Do try this recipe and really have fun with your choice of protein, grain and toppings. Would love to hear any comments so please leave them below in the post. And as always please tag @beyond.curry in your creations.
Recipe, images and text by Beyond Curry.
