Step 1

Put the grated onion, breadcrumbs, milk, the cajun spices, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a heavy grind of pepper in a large bowl and mix to combine. Set aside for five minutes, to give the breadcrumbs time to plump up, then stir in the mince and egg. Mix vigorously, shape into a large patty, then cover and put in the fridge for about an hour (or overnight).

Step 2

An hour or so before you want to cook the meatballs, put the sliced onion, cucumber and lime in a small bowl and toss to combine.

Step 3

Take the supersized meatball patty out of the fridge, break it up into 30g-35g pieces and roll these into balls – you should end up with 20-22 meatballs.

Step 4

Put the oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and, once it’s hot, add all the meatballs and cook for 12 minutes, gently turning with tongs, until browned all over and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

Step 5

Stir the spices for the gravy into the hot oil remaining in the pan, add all the remaining gravy ingredients and a quarter-teaspoon of salt and cook, whisking frequently, for three minutes, until the gravy thickens slightly. Return the meatballs to the pan and cook for two minutes, to warm through, swirling the pan to coat them in the sauce.

Step 6

Transfer the meatballs and gravy to a large serving bowl. Mix the herbs and peanuts into the cucumber salad, transfer to a small bowl and serve alongside the meatballs.