Ladies Thighs Meatballs (Kadınbudu Köfte)

It has been way too long since I have published a recipe on my blog. Life is busy with children, work and home. Most of the food I have been cooking is catered toward little children and don’t even have the time to document it let alone to take pictures and post. But this recipe really deserves some space on my blog. My children loved it and I couldn’t keep from having another and then another.

The name of this recipe might get your attention as it is named after women’s thighs. I did some research and tried to find out where it gets its name, but was not successful. I am guessing this was the name given during the Ottoman era because it resembled women’s thighs. In any case, these meatballs are so succulent and flavorful you will not be able to stop yourself from having another one.

Serve with fries or potato pure and salad. 

For the Meatballs:

2 lb ground beef

1 large onion (grated)

½ cup white rice

1½ cup water

1 egg

1 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

For Frying:

1½ cup flour

3 eggs

2 cups olive oil

Wash the rice and place in a small saucepan. Add the water and cook. When the water starts to boil, turn it down to low and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Cool the rice by setting it aside.

In a pan, add half of the ground beef and cook in its own water until it’s no longer pink. Add the grated onions and cook for a 3-4 more minutes and remove from heat. Set aside and cool.

In a large bowl, add the raw ground beef, cooked ground beef, egg, cooked rice, parsley, salt, cumin, paprika and black pepper. Mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are integrated. Pull a golf sized piece of the meat mixture and make an oval shape and slightly press it down. Repeat this until all the meat mixture is used up. Refrigerate for at least two hours so that the meat balls become firmer.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Beat the eggs in a wide bowl. Place the flour in a wide plate or bowl. Once the oil is hot, take one meat ball, dip in the eggs and then in the flour and drop in the hot oil. Do not crowd the meat balls in the frying pan so they cook quickly. Frying a few minutes on each side is sufficient for the meat. The outside of the meatballs will take a golden color and will be crunchy while the inside will be flavorful, soft and moist.