Turkish cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Kadınbudu Köfte (Lady's Thigh Meatballs)

Patties of ground meat and cooked rice, dipped in egg and fried golden brown in a pan.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g ground beef
• 100 g long-grain rice
• 1 onion
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 200 ml oil
• 1 lemon
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the rice in 250 ml salted water for 12 min. until fully soft, and let cool completely; finely dice the onion and chop the parsley.
2. Fry half the ground meat in a pan without fat together with the onion over medium heat for 8–10 min. until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat browns in crumbles; let cool.
3. Knead the fried and the raw ground meat vigorously with the cooked rice, parsley, one egg, cumin, paprika powder, salt and pepper for 4–5 min. until a smooth, binding mixture forms.
4. With damp hands, shape into 12 oval patties about 2 cm thick and chill for 20 min. so they don't fall apart while frying.
5. Beat the remaining two eggs; dip the patties first thinly in flour, then in egg, letting the excess egg drip off.
6. Fry in hot oil over medium heat 4–5 min. per side until golden brown, drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges.