Name: Spiced Meatballs With Golden Raisin–Pistachio Pilaf
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings
Ingredients: 1 large egg; 6 garlic cloves, 3 finely grated, 3 smashed; 1 lb. ground beef; ¾ cup panko; 1 tsp. ground cumin; ¾ cup crumbled feta, plus more for serving; 2¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided; 2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 3"-long cinnamon stick; 1 whole green cardamom pod, crushed; 1½ cups long-grain rice; ½ cup coarsely chopped salted roasted pistachios, plus more for serving; ½ cup golden raisins, plus more for serving; Mint leaves (for serving; optional)

Spiced Meatballs With Golden RaisinPistachio Pilaf on a plate

Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Drew Aichele, and Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović

This quick one-pot recipe houses everything good under one lid. The star of the show, the meatballs, get seasoned with a mix of crumbled feta, smoked paprika, and cumin, resulting in a tender, flavorful meatball that tastes far more complex than its trim ingredient list might suggest. The rice underneath is just as fun. Speckled with salty pistachios and plump golden raisins, and perfumed by a cardamom pod and a stray cinnamon stick, it strikes the ideal ratio of salty to sweet, contrasting with the savory meatballs. Cooking with whole spices adds a complex, alluring flavor that permeates both the rice and the meatballs.

Recipe notes

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