Arabian Meatballs In Broth Recipe - cereal

Method

• Mix rice cereal with 1/3 c. cool water; let stand at least 5 min.
• Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-qt nonstick pan, stir half the onion and 1 tsp.
• garlic over medium-high heat till limp, about 4 min.
• Stir in tomato paste, broth, and rice.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer till rice is tender to bite, 12 to 15 min.
• As rice cooks, mix beef with 1/2 tsp.
• salt and 1/4 tsp.
• pepper.
• Mix half the beef mix with one-fourth of the rice cereal mix, remaining onion and garlic, 1 Tbsp.
• mint, and parsley.
• In a food processor, whirl remaining beef mix and remaining rice cereal mix till it is a sticky paste.
• Shape each of the meat mixtures into 4 oval pcs.
• In your palm, flatten 1 piece of the beef paste till it's 1/4-inch thick.
• Lay a coarse-beef oval over the thin piece and fold paste around it, shaping into a 3-inch-long football.
• Repeat to create each meatball, and as shaped, drop into simmering broth.
• Simmer over low heat, covered, turning meatballs once, till no longer pink in center (cut to test), about 10 min.
• Add in lemon juice, remaining mint, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle meatball soup into bowls.
• This recipe yields 4 servings.
• Comments: "I'm Armenian, but I was born in Israel and lived in Iraq," says Zov Karamardian of Zov's Bistro in Tustin, California.
• "When I was growing up, my mother made dumplings with meat inside which she cooked in nice broth.
• I love which dish (kouba hamoud).
• Every time my mother comes, I make her cook it."