Kufteh
koofteh · kufta
Large Persian meat-and-grain dumplings that may contain herbs, rice, split peas, eggs, dried fruit, or nuts.
About this dish
Koofteh Tabrizi is associated with Tabriz in northwestern Iran. The large meat-and-grain balls can enclose ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts or eggs, making the filled center and careful simmering part of the dish's identity.
Recipe
Koofteh Tabrizi with prune and walnut centers
Mixture
- 500 g ground beef
- 80 g dry yellow split peas
- 80 g dry short-grain rice
- 1 onion (120 g), grated and squeezed
- 1 egg
- 40 g chopped parsley
- 20 g chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
Centers
- 6 pitted prunes
- 30 g walnuts
- 1 onion (100 g), sliced
- 1 tbsp oil
Sauce
- 1 onion (120 g), sliced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 800 ml water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1
Mixture: 500 g ground beef; 80 g dry yellow split peas; 80 g dry short-grain rice; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Cook split peas until just tender and rice until half-cooked; drain and cool. Mash peas coarsely. Cook peas and rice separately; peas crush easily but rice keeps a firm middle. Drain and cool promptly.
- 2
Centers: 6 pitted prunes; 30 g walnuts; 1 onion (100 g), sliced; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Fry center onion in its oil until golden. Mix beef with peas, rice, grated onion, egg, herbs and mixture seasoning; knead until tacky. Fry onion over medium heat, mix meat until tacky and keep chilled.
- 3
Sauce: 1 onion (120 g), sliced; 2 tbsp oil; 2 tbsp tomato paste; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. For sauce, cook sauce onion in oil, add paste and turmeric and fry 1 minute. Add water and sauce salt; bring to a gentle simmer. Soften onion before paste, stir paste briefly without burning and maintain a quiet simmer.
- 4
Divide mixture into 6, flatten and enclose a prune, walnuts and fried onion in each. Seal firmly into large balls. Divide centers evenly, enclose fully and smooth all cracks.
- 5
Lower into sauce, spoon sauce over tops and simmer partly covered 45-60 minutes without rough stirring, until beef reaches 71°C/160°F and rice is tender. Use a broad pan, spoon sauce over without rough turning and check meat temperature and tender rice.
Note
This selects Tabrizi-style stuffed herb, rice and split-pea meatballs. Good binding and a bare simmer prevent them from splitting; generic kufteh covers other dishes.