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1
Prepare the meatballs: put the onion and parsley in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
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2
Tear the bread into pieces, add to the onion, along with the egg, and process briefly.
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3
Add the meat, cumin, paprika, pepper and 1 teaspoons salt and process to a thick paste, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.
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4
Alternative preparation: grate the onion, chop the parsley, crumb the bread, and add to the meat in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Knead until the mixture is paste like in consistency.
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5
With moistened hands, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on a tray. Cover and refrigerate until required.
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6
Prepare the sauce: heat the butter or oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook over low heat until softened and golden.
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7
Add the paprika, turmeric, cumin and chili or cayenne pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
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8
Add the chicken stock and cilantro and bring to a boil.
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9
Add the meatballs to the pan, shaking so that they settle into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
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10
Add most of the parsley and the lemon juice and season, if necessary. Return to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
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11
If using preserved lemon, add now.
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12
Transfer to a tagine or bowl, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
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13
Note 1: author suggests serving with crusty bread. I also suggest rice or couscous.
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14
Note 2: I substituted a yellow curry powder for the turmeric, as turmeric is a principal ingredient in curry powder.
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15
Note 3: I sometimes need to add a little additional stock for the sauce, depending on the pot I use.
