Persian Recipes

I recently visited my parents and made a second type of Kofteh Berenji with their help. The first one I had made was a bit different and included lapeh (split yellow peas). The balls I made in my other Kofteh Berenji recipe were larger, and the ones in this one were much smaller and stuck together far better.

Koofteh Berenji

Ingredients (good for 4-6 people):
1 lb ground meat
1 onion –grated and mixed with the meat
4 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup rice –rinse well
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 egg (optional)
salt/pepper
turmeric
saffron
garlic powder (optional) –small amount
lemon juice
3 cups water
oil
1 lb sabzi (greens) cleaned and chopped (2 lbs if not cleaned and chopped) : Parsley, Cilantro, Green Onions, Tarragon (Tarkhoon), Savory Leaves (Marzeh), Tareh (Chopped chives) or you can use the ends of Green Onions instead of Tareh. If you are using dry ingredients in combination with the fresh ones, you will need to adjust the measurements based on fresh or dry ingredients. Typically when using dried greens (sabzi) you will use less (approximately 1/2 cup of the ingredient) than if you were using fresh. Just to give you an idea I will provide you with the exact amounts of each ingredient I used because we had a combination of fresh and dry greens at my parents house:
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch fresh green onions (or you can use 2 bunches; especially if you dont use chives (tareh))
1/2 cup dry Tarragon
1/2 cup dry Savory Leaves
1/2 cup dry Tareh

Directions:
As mentioned in the ingredients you will grate an onion and mix it in with the meat. Set it aside to mix in with other ingredients at a later stage.

Once all the greens are cleaned, chopped, and mixed together (mix together dry and fresh greens) then you will add your rice (after you have washed it) to the greens. Mix the greens and rice with the meat (make sure you have mixed your meat with the grated onion first). Add salt, pepper, turmeric, and a small amount of garlic powder to the mixture.

If you find that the mixture wont stick together you can add an egg.

In a pot pour in some oil and heat it. Saute the 4 tablespoons of chopped onions in the oil once it is heated. Let the onions become golden then add the tomato paste and continuously stir for a few minutes (no more than 5 minutes). Add 3 cups of hot water to the pot. Begin forming small round balls with the mixture and place them into the pot. Once all the Kofteh Berenji’s are formed and placed in the pot add more water (if needed) to cover them all.

Add some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and saffron to the water and then cover and allow the Kofteh’s to cook for approximately 45 minutes on medium heat.

Many times this is more of a light side dish and may not be the only thing you are eating.

Serve hot or warm … and most importantly enjoy!

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