Koofteh Tabrizi (herbed Meat & Rice Balls)

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb veal
• 1 1/2 cups rice, raw,well rinsed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons tarragon, dried
• 2 bunches italian parsley, chopped fine in a processor
• 1 cup leek, fine chopped
• 1/2 cup dill, fresh
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground
• 1 cup tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

Recipe

• 1 mix all the meatball ingredients together and roll into balls, 2-1/2 inches in diameter, firmly packed.
• 2 refrigerate them for 1 hour.
• 3 to make the broth, heat the oil in a pan or soup kettle, add the onions and turmeric, and stir-fry over moderate heat until light brown, about 3 minutes.
• 4 add the tomatoes and salt and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.
• 5 add the water and bring to a boil.
• 6 moisten your hands with cold water.
• 7 take each herbed ball and roll it firmly; add the balls to the broth very carefully, one at a time, so that they do not not fall apart.
• 8 the water should just cover the balls.
• 9 cover the pan and cook over moderately low heat, without stirring, for 45 minutes.
• 10 add the green peas and cook for 10 minutes more.
• 11 the broth will reduce somewhat, the balls swell considerably due to the expansion of the rice.
• 12 serve warm-- with the meatballs in the broth.