Azerbaijani Kufta Bozbash with Chickpeas and Saffron

What you need

• 500 g (2 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas
• 4 l (4 1/4 quarts) water, plus extra for soaking
• 500 g (1.1 lb) boneless lamb, shoulder or leg, or ready-ground lamb
• 100 g (1/2 cup) short-grain rice
• 2 onions, medium, one for the meatballs and one for the soup
• 8 dried apricots, or dried sour plums (alycha), one per meatball
• 2 potatoes, medium, peeled
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• dried mint, for serving
• sumac, for serving
• parsley, finely chopped, for serving, optional

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   The evening before, tip the chickpeas into a bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak overnight, at least 8 hours.

2. 2

   Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them in a large pot with the 4 l of water and bring to a boil, skimming off the grey foam as it rises.

3. 3

   Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 1 1/2 hours. The chickpeas should be nearly tender by then.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, put the saffron in a small cup, pour over about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of hot water and set aside to steep.

5. 5

   Boil the rice in a small pan of salted water until half cooked, about 7 min. Drain, rinse under cold water and let it drip dry.

6. 6

   Pass the lamb through a meat grinder, or chop it very finely with a heavy knife. Finely chop one onion.

7. 7

   In a bowl, combine the lamb, rice and chopped onion with 1 tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper. Knead with your hands for 2-3 min, until the mixture turns sticky and holds together.

8. 8

   Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Flatten one in a wet palm, set an apricot in the middle and close the meat around it into a tight, smooth ball. Repeat with the rest.

9. 9

   When the chickpeas have had their 1 1/2 hours, lower the meatballs one at a time into the pot. Keep the broth at a bare simmer and cook for 1 hour, without stirring, so the meatballs stay whole.

10. 10

    While they cook, cut the potatoes into small dice and chop the second onion.

11. 11

    About 20 min before the hour is up, add the potatoes and onion to the pot and season the broth with salt and pepper.

12. 12

    Once the potatoes are soft, strain the saffron water into the soup and simmer for 5 min more. Cut one meatball open to check: it should be cooked through with no pink inside.

13. 13

    Taste and adjust the salt. Ladle into deep bowls, one meatball per bowl with plenty of chickpeas and broth.

14. 14

    Put dried mint, sumac and parsley on the table so everyone can sprinkle their own.

Imported from rutxt.ru. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.