Ingredients
- One cup long-grain rice
- 5 kg of minced beef or lamb (or a combination of both ideally with 10-20% fat)
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp of cumin
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 large eggs
Preparation and Cooking
- Cook the rice, set aside and let it cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, minced meat, finely chopped onion, garlic, and parsley, and add black pepper, cumin, and salt and mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Shape the mixture into oval meatballs, approximately 7cm long and 4 cm wide.
- Place the all-purpose flour on a plate and lightly dust each meatball with flour, shaking off any excess, and then dip each floured meatball into the lightly beat eggs to ensure uniform coating.
- As the meatballs are ready for cooking, consider the wood fired oven temperature to be around 160-180oC and without flame radiated heat for about 20-30min. Note that during the loading phase of the meatballs, additional brushing with the beaten egg may be required as it is the characteristic features of the dish, giving a typical exterior.
- Four methods can be used in the wood fired oven: booling in water, baking, grilling or deep frying (to be the unpreferred method here):
- For Boiling: Bring the water in a large but shallow tray and place the meetballs inside to cook.
- For Baking: Use a similar tray and place the meetballs inside leaving some space between each meatball.
- For Grilling: Place the meatballs on the grill or grill pan, leaving some space between each meatball.
- Note that baking and grilling may require flipping meatballs halfway through cooking for even browning while avoiding breaking them apart.
- If “Booling” and “Frying” is preferred, remove the cooked meatballs with a suitable slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess water or oil.
- The meatball is served hot, with a side of rice, bulgur pilaf or Turkish flatbread and with yogurt, a fresh salad, or grilled vegetables. In addition, a hot tomato paste/butter sauce is commonly used as a serving topping.
Hints and Comments
- The dish is said to have originated during the Ottoman Empire, and the name is believed to be derived from the shape and size of the meatballs, which resemble a woman’s thigh.
- Due to the faster speed and common preference in commercial cooking, it is usually cooked in a deep fryer, but not preferred here.
