Spinach and Lemon Soup w/Meatballs

[Jean]

Spinach and Lemon Soup with Meatballs


2 large onions (one big Vidalia)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup dry yellow spilt peas
5 cups water
1/2 pound ground lamb (can sub beef or pork)
1 lb. fresh spinach, chopped (can sub frozen)
1/2 cup rice flour (I subbed bean flour)
juice of two lemons
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Chop one of the onions, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until golden. Add the turmeric, split peas and water, bring to boiling point then simmer for 20 minutes.

Grate the remaining onion into a bowl, add the ground meat, season with salt and pepper, and mix with hands. Form meat into balls about the size of walnuts. Carefully add to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the spinach, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Mix the rice flour with about 1 cut of water to make a smooth paste, then slowly add to the pan, stirring all the time to prevent lumps. Stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and cook over a gentle heat for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a small pan and fry the garlic briefly until golden. Stir in the chopped mint and remove the pan from the heat.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the beaten eggs. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls. Sprinkle the garlic/mint garnish over the soup and serve.

Jean's notes: If you don't have the mint, the soup is good without it. The eggs thicken the soup, so I bet you could just leave out the flour if you don't have one. The soup is very yellow.