Koufteh Ghelgheli Is The Middle Eastern Recipe You Need To Try This Weekend

We don't know about you, but we've been loving traditional recipes lately. From Norwegian pancakes to chana masala, we've been cooking up all kinds of delicious traditional dishes from all around the globe. Next up on our need-to-make-immediately list is Koufteh Ghelgheli, an Iranian dish comprised of lamb meatballs with carrots, potatoes, and overall deliciousness. A hearty and warm-you-to-your-toes kind of meal, this Middle Eastern recipe should definitely be in your weekly rotation.

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Ingredients:

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 yellow onion, finely grated
• 1/3 cup chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground

Carrots and Potatoes:

• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
• 4 small gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Chopped parsley, for serving

Directions:

1. To make the meatballs, place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well using your hands. Form into balls using a tablespoon, place on a plate, and set aside.
2. In a large, deep skillet, add oil to the bottom of the pan and heat to medium heat. Once oil is hot, add in chopped onion and salt. Stir occasionally until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add in ground turmeric and stir to mix well and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add water to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high heat. Add in lemon juice and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Add in meatballs and cook for 5 minutes, turning over once for even cooking. Next, add in carrots and potatoes, stirring gently so that they are evenly distributed in the skillet.
4. Bring mixture back up to a boil, then reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer for one hour until the meatballs are done, vegetables are fork-tender, and sauce has reduced down and thickened.
5. Serve hot with chopped parsley on top.

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Recipe and photos by Sarah Anderson.