Ingredients

• 4 cleaned sheep or cow stomachs
• 5 cups of rice (or bulgur)
• 1 large onion
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts
• 1/4 cup of currants
• 1/4 cup of parsley
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 5 tsp of ground allspice
• 5 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 5 tsp of ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 4-5 cups of water (or enough to cover the stomachs)
• 3 tbsp of melted butter
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice.

Preparation and Cooking

• Begin by thoroughly cleaning the stomachs if not done previously. This labor-intensive process involves washing them well, rubbing with salt to remove any remaining impurities, and trimming excess fat or connective tissues. Set aside for filling. Note that white vinegar can be used to rinse off the salt and impurities, helping to disinfect the stomachs. Due to health risks, do not use chlorine bleach or stomachs treated with it.
• Soak the rice (or bulgur) in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse.
• In a large bowl, combine the drained rice, chopped onion, pine nuts, currants, parsley, tomato paste, ground black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, and salt. Mix well to create the stuffing.
• Stuff each stomach with the mixture, filling about 3/4 of the way, as the mixture will expand during cooking. Fold the open end and secure with toothpicks or stitch with cooking string.
• In a large pot with a lid, place the stuffed stomachs seam-side down after poking holes with a thin needle. Add enough hot water to cover them, along with melted butter, olive oil, and lemon juice.
• Simmer the dish in the wood fired oven for about 2-3 hours at around 120-180°C, and check occasionally to ensure there is enough water in the pot.
• When the Stuffed Offal is cooked, remove it from the pot and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, remove toothpicks or twine and cut into slices.
• Serve the dish warm with lemon wedges and a side of yogurt or pickles, if desired. Optionally, the slices can be dipped into an egg wash and gently fried in butter.

Hints and Comments

• Stuffed Offal is a traditional Turkish dish, particularly popular in the Adana region, and typically enjoyed as a meze or appetizer.
• Note that cow stomach has four separate compartments called the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. The fourth section is probably preferred since it resembles a sack with smaller openings.
• Although only one version of the dish is given here, there are variations depending on the region and personal preferences. Additionally, various parts of stomachs are used in different cultures worldwide to produce highly popular “tripe” dishes.
• Another popular stuffed-offal dish is called “Mumbar,” made from lamb intestines. Mumbar also uses additional ingredients such as lamb livers, hearts, and lungs, as well as red pepper flakes and dill.