Kufta

Kufta. Kofte. Kofteh.
Meatballs. 
Again, I reckon that most cuisines have a kind of meatball, in one shape or form. The Chinese ones are made purely from meat, and taste so great in a bowl full of soup noodles; a perfectly light lunchtime meal. 

The Kurdish kufta is quite different to anything that I've ever eaten. The outside is made from bulgar wheat and rice (sometimes) and the inside is meat. They are cooked in a tomato based soup with some meat or vegetables. Making these 'balls' are quite a time-consuming activity as it needs preparation and the actual moulding of the balls are not that easy. There is much skill in ensuring that each one is shaped perfectly; not too big or small and not too compressed. I think that each person has a preference to how to shape the kufta; flat, round, big or small. The fillings can differ slightly as well. I've tried some with raisins inside.

I'm used to them now, and I've grow to quite like them. However, the only thing that I do not understand is that when you eat the kufta, you're suposed to break it up into small pieces and eat it with naan: after all that effort of shaping the meatballs, they are just broken up. It doesn't make any sense to me!  

I remember back to when I visited Kurdistan. I 'helped' Rizgar's mum make the kufta for the family lunch. It was so much fun. She bought fresh ingredients from the man outside who carted a load of vegetables every morning around the neighbourhood, and used them to make the salad and for the soup. She was explaining to me how to make everything, in Kurdish, and I was just nodding. Then we sat on the floor of the large kitchen and shaped the meatballs.  

 First, you need to separate the 'dough' into equal pieces. The filling is cooked and cooled beforehand. It's called Keema if you just eat it as it is (love it).

 After the filling has been put inside, you have have use your hands to sahpe them, making sure that there aren't any holes!

 

 Cook in a large pot of soup!

 

 Ready to eat!!

Amazing!!