Koofteh Berenji (Persian Rice Meatballs)

Koofteh Berenji or Persian Rice Meatballs is a traditional Iranian cuisine, originating from Azerbaijan and Turkic cultures in northern regions of Iran. Koofteh in general is a family of foods, each differing only in their main ingredients.

They all have the appearance of a medium-sized ball of paste made from different ingredients. Some call Koofteh “Persian meatballs” as well.

What do rice meatballs mean?

Koofteh Berenji or Persian rice meatballs means:

Koofteh is the name of “meatballs” in Persian cuisine and Berenj meaning rice.

So main ingredients to making Koofteh Berenji are:

1. Ground meat
2. Rice
3. Split peas

This type of Koofteh can be stuffed with sautéed onions, walnuts, or a prune in the middle, but you can skip this step if you don’t like them.

This is a nutritionally rich dish, packed with carbohydrates that can give you a lot of energy, so it’s better to eat this food as lunch. It’s also served with a special sauce, which you will learn further down this recipe.

What kind of meat should I use to make rice meatballs?

Iranians usually make meatballs, including rice meatballs, from:

1. Minced beef (it has less fat and less risk of meatballs cracking)
2. Minced mutton (more fat)
3. Combination of minced beef and lamb (medium fat)

It is not common to use chicken meat to make Iranian meatballs. 

Aromatic herbs

Aromatic herbs are inseparable from Iranian cuisine, and this meal is no exception. You can either use fresh or dried herbs. You’re going to need tarragon, dill, coriander, savory, mint, and green onion. The proportion can change depending on your taste.

Using fresh herbs in Koofteh Berenji

As mentioned before, fresh herbs are not a good option for Koofteh as they contain water and will result in the Koofteh Berenji to fall apart. So if you decide to use them either way, you need to dry them first. You can do so by following these steps:

1. Clean and chop up the fresh herbs in small pieces.
2. Line a baking tray with foil. Slightly grease the foil. Cover the foil with the herbs in a thin layer.
3. Place the tray in the oven and set the temperature to the highest degree for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the tray in the oven for another 10 minutes until the herbs fully dry up.

Don’t completely close the oven door.

How to make Koofteh Berenji?

Making Koofteh Berenji isn’t a complicated task, but you need to know some tips and tricks in order to avoid the meatballs from loosening and falling apart. I will explain those tips in this post.

Step 1- Preparation

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Soak the split peas. It’s better to soak the split peas overnight to degas them.

Soak the barberries for about 30 minutes.

Step 2- Boil the rice and Split peas

In a pot, boil the rice. The water level for rice should only be one knuckle above its surface. Add some salt.

You can add some turmeric to your boiling rice for a more refined taste. Remove the foam that collects on the rice.

Drain the rice.

In another pot, boil the Split peas. Add some salt. Drain them.

Step 3- Grind the primary ingredients (optional)

Pour the cooked rice and split peas into the food processor and mix them a little. You don’t need to go all out with this step, just make sure they’re incorporated and soft in the end. This will make your Koofteh firmer and more beautiful while serving.

If you don’t have access to a food processor, you can just mush the ingredients with your hands.

I do not do this step; Because I like to see rice and cobs properly, not chopped. Some people do this step to make the meatballs more cohesive and to make sure that their meatballs don’t fall apart.

Step 4- Mix the ingredients

This is my favorite step 😊 Grate an onion, and juice it before adding it to your mixture. The excess water can destabilize your meatballs.

Pour grated onion, ground meat, egg, aromatic herbs, black pepper, salt, rice, and split peas into a bowl. Mix them.

Step 5- Knead the mixture

Now you should knead the mixture. This is a key part of any type of Koofteh. You should use your hands and knead the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated, and the final paste is perfectly smooth and consistent.

One way to achieve this is to throw the paste against the bowl a few times. This step will need some strength, but it will greatly contribute to the meatballs not falling apart later. You know the paste is ready when it starts to stick to your hands!

Step 6- Cool the paste

Let your Koofteh paste rest in the fridge for an hour until it cools down.

Step 7- Prepare the sauce

While you’re waiting for the paste to cool and harden, prepare the sauce. Fine dice the onion and Sauté in a pot. Get half of the sautéed onions and set aside (to stuff the meatballs).

Then, add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and turmeric.

You can add some grated tomato as well. Wait for the water to evaporate and the paste thickens.

Thickness of the sauce at the end:

Add water or rice water (saved from step 2) and let the sauce boil over low heat.

Keep in mind that the Koofteh Berenji will cook in this sauce, so the amount should be enough to cover the tennis ball-sized meatballs.

Step 8- Prepare the meatballs

Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Soak your hands in it and grab a suitable amount of Koofteh paste. The water prevents the paste from sticking to your hand. If you want to stuff the Koofteh, spread the paste slightly on your palm. Put a plum, sautéed walnut, or sautéed onion in the middle. Some even put a whole hard-boiled egg inside a Koofteh ball. You just need to grab enough paste accordingly. Shape the paste into a ball and smooth it over.

Step 9- Cook your Koofteh

Gently place the meatballs inside the boiling sauce. Let them boil over medium heat.

It’s better not to close the pot’s lid fully, so make sure the sauce has enough water.

After 45 to 60 minutes, the sauce thickens and your Koofteh Berenji is ready!

Tips:

• Soaking your hands and carefully rounding the meatballs is essential for the Koofteh to keep a firm shape. Don’t leave any open gaps.

Is tomato sauce necessary?

Meatballs are placed in tomato sauce and cooked in tomato sauce for at least 40 minutes. Tomato sauce is an integral part of Iranian meatballs and gives a wonderful taste to meatballs.

Is flour necessary in preparing meatballs?

Some people add wheat flour, chickpea flour, or even rice flour to the meatballs to make the dough sticky. But I disagree, I believe that flour gives a raw taste to the meatballs and destroys the original taste of the minced meat.

In this post, I have an excellent recipe for making Iranian rice meatballs. This meatball doesn’t need flour, and the egg makes the ingredients stick together. The texture of these meatballs is excellent and they do not crack.

Flour makes the meatball texture dry, while the use of egg makes the meatballs moist.

Conclusion:

Koofteh, also called Persian meatball, is a traditional Persian cuisine. It can have different types considering the main ingredients, Koofteh Berenji or Rice meatballs being one.

 It’s also very easy to make. With simple ingredients and knowing a few tips and tricks, you can make a beautiful, delicious authentic Persian dish.