Researchers of the history of culinary have still not come to a consensus on where exactly they started to cook kufta - in Armenia or in Azerbaijan. This dish is also popular in Turkey, Iran and other countries in the Middle East.
Kufta in Armenian is prepared as follows. Products: 2 kg of beef, 500 g of bulgur (grits from ground wheat), 150 g of shelled walnuts, 3 onions, 2 eggs, 1 lemon, pepper (black and red), paprika, salt, 200 g of butter. Rinse the cereal and leave to swell for 2 hours. Pass the meat through a meat grinder. Peel the onion, chop it finely and fry in vegetable oil in a pan until golden brown. Add the minced meat, stir and fry a little together with the onion. Add ground nuts, paprika, pepper and other spices (to taste). Turn off heat and add butter to the skillet. Cover the skillet with a lid to melt the butter. Mix the minced meat with the swollen groats, mix thoroughly and pass through a meat grinder. A little water can be added if necessary. Form small balls. Fry them until golden brown on all sides. Drizzle with lemon juice before serving.
Serve kyufta with herbs, vegetable salads, hot sauce.
To prepare kyufta in Azerbaijani you will need: 250 g of minced beef and lamb, 5 onions, 125 g of chickpeas, 125 g of rice, 5 eggs, 2 potato tubers, 1 can of canned tomatoes, greens (fresh or dried), yellow ginger, pepper, salt, green peppers, saffron, vegetable oil. Soak the chickpeas in cold water for a few hours. Then boil and puree it. Cook the rice until half cooked; during the cooking process, add yellow ginger to the water. Drain the water, put the rice in a bowl. Boil peeled potatoes, mash. Peel the onion, chop 2 onions and put on the rice, add the minced meat, mashed potatoes and mashed peas. Add 3 raw eggs, pepper, salt, herbs, mix everything. Cook 2 hard-boiled eggs separately, chill, peel and cut each into 4 pieces. Cut the remaining 3 onions into half rings. Place it in a heavy-walled saucepan, add oil and fry until golden brown. Transfer 2/3 to the side and add canned chopped tomatoes to the remaining onion and continue cooking.
Before serving, remove the green pepper from the broth.
While the tomatoes are on the stove, shape the minced meat into small balls. Make a depression in each and place the fried onions, a piece of egg, washed dried sour cherry plum and close the cavity. Place the kyufta on a plate. You can also put nuts, dried fruits or berries (pears, cherries) inside the minced meat balls. When the tomatoes are ready, pour in the water, add the green peppers, bring to a boil. Then add the minced meat balls and cover. When they come to the surface, reduce heat and cook until tender (30-40 minutes). Remove the jacket with a slotted spoon. Pour boiling water over the saffron and let it brew for 10 minutes. Then strain and add the infusion to the broth. The dish will turn out to be a beautiful yellow color. Sprinkle with cilantro or dried mint before serving. The broth is served as the first course, and kufta as the second.
