Turkish · intermediate
Turkish Lemon Stewed Meatballs With Potatoes And Carrots
Tender beef and rice meatballs simmered with root vegetables in a savory broth finished with a silky egg-lemon binder.
- PREP TIME
- 20 min
- COOK TIME
- 30 min
- SERVES
- 4
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, rinsed rice, half the salt, and a pinch of black pepper, kneading for 3 minutes until cohesive.
- 02
Roll the mixture into compact bite-sized meatballs, about 2 cm in diameter, and set aside on a clean plate.
- 03
Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat, add the diced carrots and potatoes, and sauté for 3 minutes.
- 04
Pour in the beef broth, bring to a gentle boil, then carefully drop in the meatballs one by one.
- 05
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice inside the meatballs and vegetables are fully cooked.
- 06
Whisk the egg yolk and fresh lemon juice together in a small heatproof bowl, then slowly pour in 1 cup of warm broth from the pot while whisking constantly to temper.
- 07
Turn off the heat, slowly stir the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the soup, season with remaining salt, and serve hot.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Terbiye
A Turkish thickening and seasoning technique using egg yolk and lemon juice whisked with hot broth.
Notes from the kitchen
- Tempering the egg yolk with hot broth before adding it back into the pot prevents the sauce from curdling.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Turkish; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.
