Different types of meatballs are cooked in different parts of Iran. While some meatballs are favored all over Iran, others are considered as traditional food of a particular region. Vegetable meatball is one of the dishes of Fars province, which is mostly cooked in Shiraz and Jahrom.

Ingredients

Rice: one and a half cups

Lentils: two cups

Split pea: one cup

Wheat or vetches: one cup

Vegetable (a special mixture): half a kilo

Dry tarragon and fenugreek: one tablespoon each

Onions: two

Raisins, walnuts and prunes: as per taste

Minced meat: 400 grams

Notes

The required vegetable is a mixture of leek, coriander, and parsley; usually chopped in equal amounts.

Rice, lentils, split peas, and wheat should be soaked separately the night before and completely drained one hour before the cooking otherwise the meatballs may fall apart.

The mince should be mutton with low fat. Thigh mutton is the best type of meat to use in making vegetable meatball.

Raisins, walnuts, and prunes are used to fill the middle of the meatball. However, raisins and prunes should not be used together.

Recipe

Mix two-thirds of the minced meat, rice, and mixture of vegetables in a bowl, mix them properly, and grind the mixture. Add enough salt to the mixture before grinding it.

After grinding, the mixture should be kneaded well and placed in the refrigerator for three to four hours so that the mixture gets well formed.

Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients that are to be used inside the meatballs. Chop the onions and fry them until they turn golden. Add chopped walnuts and raisins to it and continue frying. Note that at the end of the process of frying the excess oil must be removed otherwise the meatballs will fall apart.

Take the ingredients out of the fridge and cut them into palm-sized pieces. After you spread it in your palm, add a mixture of walnuts and onion to it and make the meatball into a round shape. Then press it until it is well shaped and there are no cracks in it. If you want to make sure that the meatballs will be well cooked, put the balls in the refrigerator for half an hour.

It is now time to make the meatball soup. Take a pot, pour a little oil in it, and fry a chopped onion in it. After the onion changes color a little, add the dry tarragon and fenugreek and the remaining part of the mixed vegetables. After that, add the spice and pour a few glasses of water into the pot. After the water comes to boiling point, put the meatballs in it one by one and wait for an hour until the meatballs get well cooked in this soup. Do not cover the pot during the process.

Vegetable meatball is one of the dishes of Fars province, which is mostly cooked in Shiraz and Jahrom.