Meatballs with New York Street Sauce

Prepare New York street sauce: in a medium bowl mix yogurt, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of water, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt.

Preheat the oven to 95 degrees. Soak the crumbs of stale white bread in milk in a large bowl for about 3 minutes. Add minced meat, a lightly beaten large egg, chopped parsley, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, cumin, sumac, sweet paprika, ras-el-hanout (a Moroccan spice blend), coriander, cardamom, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well by hand and roll the mixture into 16 meatballs about 4 cm in diameter.

Heat a medium skillet, cast iron or heavy-bottomed, over medium heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the meatballs and cook, gently turning, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Sauté the remaining meatballs.

Boil the rice. Serve the boiled rice on plates, top with meatballs, and accompany with sliced romaine salad drizzled with New York street sauce. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and add a lemon wedge.