I’m excited to introduce you to the wonderful world of Persian cuisine, as most of the time! The menu features Koofteh Kermanshahi – Persian stuffed meatballs – along with a giveaway for high-quality kitchen gadgets. Koofteh Kermanshahi is a traditional dish from the Kermanshah region in western Iran, renowned for its unique flavors and rich culinary heritage. The meatballs are filled with dried apricots, walnuts, and raisins, and then simmered in a delectable sauce made with pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and rice, resulting in a harmonious blend of flavors that delights the senses.
KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI – PERSIAN STUFFED MEATBALLS
Koofteh Kermanshahi is served with herbs, especially basil, and traditional Persian lavash bread. I have combined this popular dish with a unique bread from Mashhad – Nan-e Sabzi Mashhadi, a savory Persian herb flatbread. The combination of tender meatballs, aromatic sauce, and fresh herbs is a treat. Especially when paired with the herb flatbread to soak up the sauce!
GIVEAWAY ON INSTAGRAM (Sorry, participation is restricted to residents of Germany only.)
I used some modern kitchen tools for this recipe, like the Kesper Cutting Board with two flexible collecting containers for waste and cuttings, as well as the ELO Casserole Pot and Saucepan to make the cooking process as easy as possible. Now, for the fun part: the giveaway! You have the chance to win a high-quality ELO cooking pot set from the Limited Edition, which includes five items and is valued at 499 euros. Also up for grabs is the Kesper cutting board with collecting containers for waste and cuttings, valued at 49.99 euros, and the Birkmann burger bun baking tray, valued at 17.95 euros. These kitchen gadgets are super practical and will make cooking a real pleasure! So, head over to our Instagram page, enter the giveaway, and you might soon be whipping up magic in your kitchen with these awesome gadgets! Enjoy cooking and good luck!
10% DISCOUNT CODE ON HIGH-QUALITY KITCHEN GADGETS
If you want to make yourself and your loved ones happy and order the high-quality kitchen utensils from ELO, Birkmann and Kesper directly, then I have a 10% discount code for you as the cherry on the cake. The discount codes are valid for everything you order from the manufacturers until the end of the year, exactly until 31.12.2024.
5-piece stainless steel pot set from ELO: Happiness_24_ELO
Burger bun baking tray from Birkmann: happinessineverybite_2024_Birkmann
Cutting board with collecting containers from Kesper: happinessineverbite_24_KESPER
KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI – PERSIAN STUFFED MEATBALLS
So, making Koofteh Kermanshahi takes a bit of time, but trust me, it’s totally worth it! The incredible taste and rich culinary tradition make all the effort worthwhile. In the traditional recipe, you’d normally soak 300g of chickpeas overnight, cook them for about 40 minutes, and then mash and pass them through a mincer or food processor twice, which can be a bit time-consuming. But here’s the good news – nowadays, we can use chickpea flour, which saves us a lot of time and effort! Of course, if you want the full Persian culinary experience, go for the original recipe with whole chickpeas – it’s a real treat for your taste buds!
MORE DISHES FROM KERMANSHAH
Kermanshah is known for its amazing flavors and exquisite ingredients. One of the must-try dishes is Koofteh Kermanshahi, which isn’t just for special occasions—it also represents hospitality and acceptance in Iranian culture. But that’s not all Kermanshah has to offer! You’ve got to try these typical dishes:
Khoresht-e Khalal-e Badoom: This beef ragout with saffron and almonds is a real winner. It’s a delicious stew made with saffron, slivered almonds, barberries, and loads of aromatic spices that make it a true masterpiece of both sweet and savory flavors.
Valak Polo ba Mahi is a mouthwatering Persian rice dish made with fragrant rice and wild garlic, seasoned with fresh wild garlic, sumac, and saffron. Instead of the traditional chicken or meatballs, I love pairing it with salmon marinated in lemon for a unique and delicious flavor combination.
Reshteh Polo ba Morgh, also known as “رشته پلو با مرغ,” is a traditional and super popular Persian rice dish that hails from Tehran, Mashhad, and Kermanshah. It’s a delightful mix of rice, roasted noodles, caramelized onions, raisins, and dates, all spiced up with saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon. To top it off, this dish is garnished with rose petals and pistachio sticks and served with a yummy saffron chicken fillet. Yum!
Have you heard of Kelaneh? It’s a traditional flatbread from Kermanshah that’s made from a delightful mix of bread and chopped garlic. This popular dish brings a wonderful, rustic touch to your table.
INGREDIENTS FOR KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI
Makes 14 Koofteh
1 large red onion (approx. 200 g)
400 g minced lamb
400 g minced veal
1 tbsp dried mint
80 g chickpea flour
1 tsp turmeric
salt, pepper
STUFFING INGREDIENTS
100 g walnuts
80 g raisins
14 dried apricots
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE
1 red onion
150 g rice
60 g tomato paste
90 g pomegranate molasses
150 g dried apricots
1 tbsp dried mint
Salt and sugar to taste
PREPARATION OF KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI
Finely grate the onion into a large bowl and squeeze out the liquid. The grated onion must not contain any liquid. Add the minced meat, dried mint, chickpea flour, turmeric, salt and pepper and knead everything thoroughly for 10 – 15 minutes.
SHAPING THE KOOFTEH
Remove tangerine-sized portions from the mixture, shape into balls and flatten. Place a dried apricot in the middle, add a walnut on top and place raisins around it. Shape the Koofteh into balls again to hide the stuffing. If necessary, add a bit of the minced meat mixture. Ensure that there are no holes in the meatballs, or else they will pop open when cooked.
LEAVE THE KOOFTEH TO REST
Place the formed Kooftehs on a tray, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least an hour, or even better 2 hours.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
In the meantime, add a little oil to the ELO casserole, dice the onion and fry. Add the washed rice and fry briefly. Add 1 liter of water and simmer.
Heat a little oil in the ELO saucepan and briefly fry the dried mint until it starts to sizzle. Add the tomato paste and fry briefly. Then stir in the pomegranate molasses and mix well. Add this mixture to the rice and onions and mix well.
Add the dried apricots to the sauce and season with salt and sugar. Simmer the sauce for 40 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. Set aside.
FRYING KOOFTEH
Remove the Koofteh from the fridge after they have chilled. Heat enough oil in a large pan and fry the Koofteh on all sides until golden brown.
ADD THE KOOFTEH TO THE SAUCE
Carefully place the fried Koofteh in the sauce. Cook uncovered at medium heat for the first 15 minutes, then put the lid on and simmer for a further 30 minutes, reducing the heat slightly.
SERVING
Serve the Koofteh in the sauce. I recommend enjoying the Koofteh warm and serving it with herb flatbread and herbs, especially basil.
The sauce thickens as it cools. If you have some left over, reheat the Koofteh in the sauce after it has cooled without adding any more liquid.
BEFARMAYID!
Susan
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Koofteh Kermanshahi - Persian stuffed meatballs
The meatballs are filled with dried apricots, walnuts, and raisins, and then simmered in a delectable sauce made with pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, and rice.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI
- 1 large red onion approx. 200 g
- 400 g minced lamb
- 400 g minced veal
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 80 g chickpea flour
- 1 tsp turmeric
- salt pepper
STUFFING INGREDIENTS
- 100 g walnuts
- 80 g raisins
- 14 dried apricots
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 red onion
- 150 g rice
- 60 g tomato paste
- 90 g pomegranate molasses
- 150 g dried apricots
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- Salt and sugar to taste
Instructions
PREPARATION OF KOOFTEH KERMANSHAHI
-
Finely grate the onion into a large bowl and squeeze out the liquid. The grated onion must not contain any liquid.
-
Add the minced meat, dried mint, chickpea flour, turmeric, salt and pepper and knead everything thoroughly for 10 – 15 minutes.
SHAPING THE KOOFTEH
-
Remove tangerine-sized portions from the mixture, shape into balls and flatten.
-
Place a dried apricot in the middle, add a walnut on top and place raisins around it.
-
Shape the Koofteh into balls again to hide the stuffing. If necessary, add a bit of the minced meat mixture. Ensure that there are no holes in the meatballs, or else they will pop open when cooked.
LEAVE THE KOOFTEH TO REST
-
Place the formed Kooftehs on a tray, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least an hour, or even better 2 hours.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
-
In the meantime, add a little oil to the ELO casserole, dice the onion and fry. Add the washed rice and fry briefly. Add 1 liter of water and simmer.
-
Heat a little oil in the ELO saucepan and briefly fry the dried mint until it starts to sizzle.
-
Add the tomato paste and fry briefly.
-
Then stir in the pomegranate molasses and mix well.
-
Add this mixture to the rice and onions and mix well.
-
Add the dried apricots to the sauce and season with salt and sugar. Simmer the sauce for 40 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. Set aside.
FRYING KOOFTEH
-
Remove the Koofteh from the fridge.
-
Heat enough oil in a large pan and fry the Koofteh on all sides until golden brown.
ADD THE KOOFTEH TO THE SAUCE
-
Carefully place the fried Koofteh in the sauce.
-
Cook uncovered at medium heat for the first 15 minutes, then put the lid on and simmer for a further 30 minutes, reducing the heat slightly.
SERVING
-
Serve the Koofteh in the sauce. I recommend enjoying the Koofteh warm and serving it with herb flatbread and herbs, especially basil.
Recipe Notes
The sauce thickens as it cools. If you have some left over, reheat the Koofteh in the sauce after it has cooled without adding any more liquid.
Save the recipe for later on Pinterest!
Have you cooked this or maybe another delicious recipe of mine? Feel free to leave me a comment below. If you tag your picture on Instagram with @labsalliebe and use the hashtag #labsalliebe, I won’t miss a post and will be happy to leave you a comment as well. Can’t wait to see your creations.
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