What is Kufteh Tabrizi, the giant Persian stuffed meatball?
Kufteh Tabrizi (Persian: کوفته تبریزی) is the pride of Tabriz, the capital of Iran's East Azerbaijan province. These are not the small meatballs you may know from other cuisines. A single kufteh Tabrizi can be as big as an orange, and in old Tabrizi kitchens they were sometimes shaped the size of a small grapefruit, one giant ball to a bowl. What makes them special is not only the size but the surprise hidden in the centre: crack one open and you find a whole hard-boiled egg, toasted walnuts, tart barberries, sweet fried onion and sometimes a soft dried plum. The meatball itself is light and tender because it is bound with cooked rice and yellow split peas rather than bread, then simmered slowly in a golden saffron and tomato broth.
What ingredients do you need?
This recipe makes about 6 large meatballs, enough for 4 to 6 people. The quantities suit a Dubai home kitchen, using ingredients from any Iranian or Arabic grocery.
For the meatball mixture
- 500 g ground beef or lamb (or half and half), not too lean
- 1/2 cup yellow split peas (lapeh), cooked until soft and drained
- 1/2 cup rice, cooked until just tender and cooled
- 2 large onions, finely grated with the juice squeezed out
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh savory (marzeh), or 1 tablespoon dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (tarkhoon)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives or spring onion (optional)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the stuffing (per meatball)
- 1 small hard-boiled egg
- 1 tablespoon walnut halves
- 1 teaspoon barberries (zereshk), rinsed
- 1 tablespoon golden fried onion
- 1 dried plum or prune (optional)
For the broth
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- A pinch of ground saffron bloomed in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 3 to 4 cups hot water, salt to taste
How do you make Kufteh Tabrizi step by step?
- Cook the yellow split peas in plenty of water for 25 to 30 minutes until soft but not mushy, then drain and let them cool. Cook the rice separately until just tender and spread it out to cool.
- Grate the onions finely, then squeeze them hard in your hands or a cloth to remove the watery juice. Wet onion is the number one reason kufteh fall apart.
- In a large bowl combine the ground meat, cooked split peas, cooled rice, squeezed onion, eggs, herbs, turmeric, salt and pepper.
- Knead the mixture firmly with your hand for a full 8 to 10 minutes, until it turns sticky and paste-like and holds its shape. This long kneading develops the bind and is the real secret of the dish. Cover and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Make the broth: fry the sliced onion in the oil until golden, stir in the turmeric and tomato paste for one minute, then add the hot water, bloomed saffron and a little salt. Bring to a gentle, barely-moving simmer in a wide pot.
- Wet your hands with cold water. Take a large handful of mixture, about the size of an orange, and flatten it into a thick disc in your palm. Place a hard-boiled egg, some walnuts, barberries, fried onion and a plum in the centre.
- Bring the mixture up and around the filling and seal it completely into a smooth ball with no cracks. Wet your hands again before each one.
- Lower each ball gently into the simmering broth with a spoon. Do not crowd the pot and do not stir.
- Cover partially and simmer very gently for 45 to 60 minutes, occasionally spooning broth over the tops so they cook evenly. They are done when firm and cooked through and the broth has thickened.
What is the secret to a meatball that does not fall apart?
Handling is everything with kufteh Tabrizi. Because the balls are so large, a weak mixture or a hard boil will make them break open in the pot. Here are the mistakes home cooks make most, and how to avoid them.
| Common mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Onion left watery | Mixture too loose, balls collapse | Squeeze the grated onion completely dry |
| Not kneading enough | No bind, cracks in the pot | Knead 8 to 10 minutes until sticky |
| Boiling too hard | Balls break apart | Keep a gentle, barely-moving simmer |
| Skipping the rest | Mixture will not hold shape | Chill 30 minutes before forming |
| Cracks left when sealing | Filling leaks out | Wet your hands and smooth over every crack |
What do you serve with it?
Serve one giant kufteh per person in a shallow bowl with plenty of the saffron broth spooned over, and warm sangak bread on the side to soak it up. A plate of fresh herbs, some sharp torshi and a cold glass of doogh complete the table. To round out the meal, our guides to Persian torshi and homemade doogh pair perfectly.
Is Kufteh Tabrizi healthy?
Kufteh Tabrizi combines protein from the meat and egg with fibre and plant protein from the split peas and rice, and it is simmered rather than fried, which keeps added oil low. This is general information, not medical advice; for guidance on your own diet please consult a doctor or dietitian.
This is a home recipe, not a dish we cook in our kitchen. Shaun the Sheep is a 24-hour Tehran-style kalle pache house at 64 Jumeira Street, Jumeirah 1. If you would rather leave the cooking to us, you can order kalle pache online across Dubai instead.