Name: Koofteh Berenji (Rice Meatball)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef (kam charbi is better so they don't break); 1 cup rice, parboiled and drained; 1 cup yellow split peas (lapeh), parboiled and drained; 1 lb mixed fresh aromatic herbs (mint, tarragon, parsley, cilantro/reyhan, and green onion tops in place of tareh), finely chopped; 2 medium onions (1 grated for meat, 1 chopped for frying); 3 large eggs; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or baking soda); 1/3 cup barberries (zereshk), rinsed; 1/3 cup crushed walnuts; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; Cooking oil, turmeric, salt, and black pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

طرز تهیه

Parboil rice & split peas: In separate small pots, boil the rice for 5 minutes and drain in a strainer; boil the yellow split peas for 10-15 minutes until slightly tender and drain.

Make stuffing & broth base: In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion in oil until golden. Remove half of the fried onions and mix them in a bowl with barberries (zereshk) and crushed walnuts for the stuffing. In the pot with remaining onions, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 3 cups of water; bring to a gentle simmer.

Knead meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, chopped herbs, parboiled rice, split peas, 3 eggs, baking powder, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Knead thoroughly with your hands for 5 minutes until sticky and unified.

Shape and stuff meatballs: Take a large handful of meat mixture and form into a large round ball (the size of an orange). Poke a hole into the center with your thumb, tuck in a spoonful of the zereshk, walnut, and fried onion mixture, then seal the meat back over the hole smoothly.

Simmer gently: Very gently lower the large meatballs into the simmering broth. Make sure they are covered by the broth (add a little hot water if needed). Place the lid on partially and simmer on medium-low for 45 minutes to 1 hour until cooked through and tender.

Serve: Carefully transfer the large stuffed meatballs into a wide serving bowl, ladle the savory tomato broth over them, and serve with warm sangak or flatbread, sabzi khordan, and torshi! 🙂

Koofteh Berenji (Rice Meatball)

Ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

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