MEATBALLS WITH RICE AND YELLOW PEAS IN SUMAC

This dish comes out best if you use extremely fresh and bright sumac. Sumac that is not fresh loses its color and flavor. You can sprinkle more purple sumac on meatballs just before serving.

Makes six servings. Meatballs:

½ cup split yellow peas (can be purchased in spice shops) ½ cup Persian rice 1 onion ½ kg. ground beef ½ cup chives 1 cup parsley 1 cup dill ¼ cup nana (mint) ¼ cup tarragon 2 eggs 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely 3 Tbsp. sumac 1 tsp. turmeric 1 Tbsp. olive oil Salt

Ground black pepper

Soup:

2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion

½ tsp. turmeric 2 Tbsp. sumac Salt

6 cups water

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the yellow peas and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rice and cook for another seven minutes until it’s halfcooked. Drain and set aside.

Grate the onion or shred in a food processor.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the rice and pea mixture, onion, ground beef, herbs, eggs, garlic, sumac, turmeric and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and then mix well. Prepare balls the size of tennis balls and set aside.

To prepare the soup, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Grate the onion. When the oil is hot, add the onion and turmeric and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown. Add the sumac, salt and pepper, then cover with water and bring to a boil.

Place the balls in the soup and bring back to a boil. Cover, lower the flame and cook for another 40 minutes. It’s extremely important that you don’t lift up the lid while the balls are cooking so that no steam escapes. When it’s done, taste and adjust seasoning.

Just before serving, sprinkle more sumac on top of meatballs. Serve hot.