In a frying pan or round flat-bottomed wok, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high then fry the finely diced onion until soft and translucent; turn the heat off, transfer the onion to a dish, and set aside to cool.

In a small jar or dish, make the baharat or seven spice blend by combining the ground cumin, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, white pepper, black pepper, and salt.

To a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef and pork (if using pork), cooked onion, garlic powder, baharat spice mix, tablespoon of olive oil, parsley and mint, and stir together with a spoon or hands until everything has been incorporated; don’t over-combine.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Cover a large rimmed baking tray with foil, and lightly brush olive oil onto the tray.

Using a teaspoon to scoop out the meatball mixture and digital kitchen scales to check the weight, roll 15g of meatball mixture a few times between your hands to form a meatball; transfer it to the tray and repeat until you’ve finished the mixture, ensuring they’re evenly spaced apart.

Slide the tray into the oven onto the top shelf and set a timer for 5 minutes to check the meatballs. If sizzling and starting to brown, use small tongs to gently turn the meatballs over, one at a time, to brown the other side. If they’re not browning, bake them for another minute or two. Once turned over, the meatballs should only take a few more minutes. Taste one, and remove as soon as they’re done.

Transfer the meatballs to a platter of oven-warmed pita bread with sliced radishes, pickles and lemon wedges, and serve at the centre of the table with sides of dips such as hummus and baba ghanoush and salads such as tabbouleh and fattoush.