Meatballs in Sour Sauce

(Eksili Kofte)

Meatball:
500 gr medium ground beef
1/2 cup rice, washed and drained
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch black pepper
6 cups hot water with 1 cube beef bouillon

Sauce:
2 tbsp flour
2 egg yolks
1 lemon juice
2 tbsp water

Garnish:
1 tsp butter
1 tsp red pepper, ground

Place the rice in a bowl and pour 2 cups hot water over it. Wait for 5 minutes and drain. Add in the ground beef, egg, salt, pepper and cumin. Knead with your hands. Make little balls (chest nut size) and put aside.

Put 6 cups hot water in a large pot with the bouillon. When it boils, put the Kofte (meatballs) into the water slowly. Remove the foam from the surface with a spoon. Cook for about 20-25 minutes on medium-low heat.

Whisk the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Take one ladle of juice from the pot with the Kofte. Mix it with the sauce, then pour it all back slowly into the pot. Cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in serving bowls.

Melt the butter in a small pan. When you see bubbles, turn the heat off. Then add in the red pepper. Mix with a spoon and pour all over the Eksili Kofte (by the way, Eksi means sour). This dish should be eaten with a spoon as the juice is very tasty. Serve with bread and any kind of salad. This recipe makes 3 servings.