Carrot + Pea + Potato = Carreato ball

You guys, remember the Falentil ball? Well, I’d like to introduce you to his cousin, the Carreato ball. They are in fact brothers, born to the same parent (me) and in the exact same place (my head and then my bedroom kitchen).

The Carreato ball is both super flavourful and healthy, similar to his big bro. But I added a few special ingredients this time, which bring warm spicy flavours to the veggie ball; they include paprika, cumin, oregano, chilli, coriander seeds, and curry powder. These delicious spices are mixed into a combination of carrots, peas, potatoes, cooked onion, cous cous, and coconut flour. The combination is just perfect. At first bite you can feel the soft and light texture of the ball thanks to the cous cous. Then you taste the sweet and salty flavour of the spices and onions. Finally, you feel the texture of little green peas popping in your mouth.

Not only are these Carreato balls delicious to taste, but they are also incredibly healthy, filled with all kinds of vitamins, proteins, and fibres. Did you know that spices are healthy for you? “Technically, spices are vegetables in concentrated form,” says Wendy Bazilian (food expert), “Like veggies, they contain thousands of healthy phytonutrient compounds, including antioxidants.” Lucky for you, these veggie balls contain plenty of spices and make the perfect vegetarian alternative meatball dish.

Carreato Balls

Makes about 28 Carreato balls

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes, peeled
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup peas
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• 1 ½ cups cooked cous cous
• ¾ cup coconut flour
• 1 tbs ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbs curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 eggs

Method:

Place a pot over the stove filled ¾ with water. Bring to the boil. Chop your carrots and potatoes into small pieces. They should be roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Once the water is boiling, add the carrots and potatoes. Leave to cook for about 10-15 minutes or until soft. In the last 2 minutes, add your peas to the water and cook. Once all is cooked, remove from the heat and drain of the water. Place to the side for a moment.

Warm the olive oil in a pan over a low to medium heat. Add your finely chopped onion and a little salt to the pan. Leave to cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir regularly so that they don’t burn. Once cooked, remove from the heat and place into a large mixing bowl. Don’t wash the pan, you’ll use it again later.

Add all of your ingredients to the bowl with the onions and mix well together. You want to try mashing all of the ingredients together using a spoon or utensil of choice. Once you have a wet dough consistency move on to shaping the balls.

Scoop heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture into your hands (wetting your hands helps the balls not stick). Roll them into round balls and then place on a piece of baking paper or a tray. Continue rolling balls until all of the mixture is used up.

Place your pan back on the heat and again, add a little oil. Add your balls to the pan (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan, so cook them in stages). Leave them to cook for about 3-5 minutes. Flip them regularly so that they get an even golden crust. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Serve warm or at room temperature. They can be eaten plain or with dip, vegetables or salads.

Happy cooking!
–Ben
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