Dawood Basha (Levantine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)
داؤد باشا (ٹماٹر کی ساس میں شامی کوفتے)
Dawood basha is the Levant's favourite meatball dish: small, juicy meatballs of beef or lamb seasoned with seven-spice and cinnamon, browned and simmered with whole small onions in a tomato sauce sharpened with pomegranate molasses. It's named after an Ottoman-era governor of Mount Lebanon, said to have loved it. Served over rice with toasted vermicelli, it's a family weeknight dinner in Lebanon and Syria, and South Asian readers will find it close to a kofta curry with a sweet-sour twist.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 5 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Cook: 40 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Knead the mince with the grated onion, parsley, seven-spice, cinnamon and 1 tsp salt. Roll into walnut-sized balls.
Brown the meatballs in the oil in batches for 5–6 minutes and set aside. Brown the small onions in the same pan for 5 minutes, then add the garlic for a minute.
Stir in the tomato paste, then the grated tomatoes, pomegranate molasses, water and remaining salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the meatballs and simmer, partly covered, for 15–20 minutes until the sauce is thick and the onions are soft. Scatter with pine nuts and serve over vermicelli rice.
Serve hot with rice.
Kitchen notes
Squeeze the grated onion dry so the meatballs hold together.
For vermicelli rice, toast a handful of vermicelli in butter before adding the rice and water, as for Turkish şehriyeli pilav.
The sauce should be thick and glossy, not watery; simmer uncovered for a few minutes if needed.
A governor’s favourite
Dawood basha is named after Dawood Pasha, an Ottoman-appointed governor of Mount Lebanon in the 1860s, who is said to have loved this dish. Whether or not the story is true, it has become one of the most popular home dishes in Lebanon and Syria.
Sweet and sour tomato
What makes the sauce Levantine is the balance: tomatoes for body, pomegranate molasses for a gentle sweet-sour tang, and warm seven-spice in the meatballs. Whole small onions, browned first, add sweetness and soften in the sauce.
Familiar to kofta lovers
South Asian cooks will find the method familiar from kofta curry: shape spiced meatballs, brown them and simmer them in sauce. The flavours, though, are lighter, with no chilli and plenty of cinnamon and allspice.
Serving
Serve over rice cooked with toasted vermicelli, with a salad and yogurt. It’s also good with bread. For a Turkish meatball comparison, see izgara köfte.
Questions people ask
What is seven-spice?
A Lebanese blend (baharat) of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander and ginger. Garam masala is a reasonable substitute.
Can I bake the meatballs?
Yes. Bake at 220°C for 12 minutes instead of frying, then add to the sauce.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 430
- Protein
- 26 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
