Spicy Meatballs with Verjuice

Name: Spicy Meatballs with Verjuice (Kufteh-ye Qomi)
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: Serves: 4 to 6 (20 meatballs)
Cuisine: Iranian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); 1 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; ½ teaspoons fine sea salt; ½ lb/225 g ground lamb or chicken or turkey thigh meat; 2 cups/300 g fresh or frozen green peas; ½ cup/100 g rice, washed and drained; 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons green peas; ½ cup/40 g roughly chopped fresh parsley or 3 tablespoons dried; ¼ cup/20 g roughly chopped fresh dill or 1½ tablespoon dried; 2 cloves garlic, peeled; ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; ½ cup/120 ml verjuice or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds; ½ cup/40 g roughly chopped fresh tarragon or 3 tablespoons dried; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ small onion, peeled and quartered; 2 tablespoons rice flour

Kufteh-ye Qomi

Preparation info

Serves:
4 to 6

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
2 hr 30

Appears in

Cooking in Iran

By Najmieh Batmanglij

Published 2020

About

This combination of spices, fenugreek, and verjuice used here is what gives these meatballs their unique flavor. I have adapted this recipe from one by Bibi Khanum, who lives in Qom.

Ingredients

Paste

½ cup/100 g rice, washed and drained
2 cups/300

Asia
Iran
Qom
Main course
Gluten-free

Method

For the paste: Place the rice and 4 cups/960 ml water in a small saucepan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the peas, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes