Small Rice Meat Balls with Yogurt

Sample Dishes from Turkish Cuisine

Small Rice Meat Balls with Yogurt (Yuvarlama)

Preparation

Combine meat and pre-soaked chickpeas in a large saucepan (or use a pressure saucepan). Add water. Cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until meat and chickpeas are tender. Remove scum with a perforated spoon while simmering. Season with salt. Set aside. Wash and drain rice. Pound into size of fine bulgur in a mortar (or grind in a blender or a food processor container). Combine rice, ground meat, minced onions, salt and black pepper, blending thoroughly. Knead for 25-30 minutes while adding 1-2 tablespoons of water gradually to form a medium stiff, smooth and slightly elastic mixture (or place combined mixture into a blender or a food processor container. Process until well blended. Mixture must be smooth and form easily). Add very little water if necessary. Cover with a silghtly dampened cheese cloth to prevent drying. Keep covered while rolling balls. Roll mixture into chickpea sized balls. Place water in a large saucepan. Add salt; stir. Bring to boil. Stir in rice balls. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender. Combine rice balls and liquid with meat-chickpeas mixture in a large saucepan. Reduce heat and cover. Beat yogurt and egg until well blended. Add about 1 cup of hot rice ball-meat liquid into yogurt stirring constantly. Stir yogurt-egg mixture gradually in rice balls, blending thoroughly and gently. Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in curshed mint. Sprinkle over rice bafls just before serving. Serve hot.

Servings: 6

Nutritional Value
(in approximately one serving)

Regional Characteristics:

This recipe is taken from Gaziantep. This dish is a special dish of the "Feast of Ramadan" in every household in Gaziantep. It is prepared on the day before the "Feast of Ramadan" and served on the first day of a three-day of festivities along with stuffed vegetables (eggplant, summer squash, green bell-peppers and etc.) rice pilaf with lamb, zerde (plain rice pudding) and sütlaç (rice pudding with milk) together. After a month's period of fasting this rice-based special menu is a must for every family in town.