Start with the meatballs since they need to chill. Combine the ground beef, garlic, and onions in a large bowl – I like to blitz the garlic and onion in a blender first so they basically disappear into the meat (and the kids don’t pick them out lol). Add the breadcrumbs, baking soda, chopped herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together well, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. That rest time is what makes the baking soda work – it tenderizes the meat from the inside and the difference is really noticeable.

Once the mixture is chilled, roll it into small even balls, roughly 1.5 inches each. You want them on the smaller side so they’re easy to eat off a skewer without making a mess.

To pan-fry – heat a thin layer of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning every couple of minutes, for about 10-15 minutes until they’re browned all over and cooked through. Give them space in the pan – if you crowd them they’ll steam instead of brown and you’ll lose that crust. To bake instead – preheat to 425F / 220C and bake on a lined sheet for 30-40 minutes. Honestly, when I’m making a big batch for a party, baking is the way to go. You just put them in the oven and walk away.

While the meatballs are cooking, make the tahini yogurt sauce. Whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt. Add water a tablespoon at a time until it loosens up to a spoonable, saucy consistency. Taste it and adjust the lemon or salt – you want it tangy and bright.

For the chimichurri – pulse the roasted red pepper, parsley, cilantro, red wine vinegar, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until the pepper is finely chopped but still has some body to it. Don’t over-process it into a paste. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the olive oil, and let it sit for a bit if you have time – it gets better as it rests.

To put it all together – slide one meatball onto each skewer. Spoon a little tahini yogurt sauce onto each plate or across a big serving platter. Lay the skewers right on top of the sauce, then drizzle the chimichurri over everything. A little fresh parsley on top and it’s ready to go.