Kobeh
Stuffed saffron rice and potato croquettes topped with barberries and pistachios
Ingredients
Croquettes
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 6 cups water, divided
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
- 1 medium russet potato peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads, ground and mixed with 2 tablespoons hot water, divided
Filling
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baharat, Arabic 7 spice
- 1 small red chili pepper, minced, adjust to your taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 package tempeh, (227 g), crumbled and coarsely chopped, or 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons raisins
- 1 tablespoon barberries
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup barberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar, adjust to your taste
- 1 tablespoon saffron water, from above
- 1 tablespoon nuts, coarsely chopped (almonds, pistachios or pine nuts)
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Make the croquettes
- In a medium-sized pot, combine the rice with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a separate small saucepan, add the remaining 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until a paring knife inserts easily. Drain and set aside.
- Once the rice and potatoes have drained and cooled sufficiently, 15-20 minutes, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon of saffron water. Using a stiff rubber spatula or your hands, combine and mash the mixture until smooth. The mixture will be quite starchy and sticky. Set aside.
Make the filling
- Meanwhile, to prepare the filling, heat a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and begin sautéing the onion for about 5 minutes. Then, add the turmeric, baharat, chili pepper, and garlic, and sauté for another minute.
- Add the tempeh and sauté for 8-10 minutes, then add the tomato paste and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the salt, raisins, barberries, parsley, and lemon juice, stir to combine, and remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and brush it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Assemble the croquettes:
- To assemble the kobe, you will need a bowl of water to keep your hands and fingers moistened to help with the process.
- Measure about 4 tablespoons of the rice and potato mixture into the palm of your hand and flatten it out using your other hand. Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling mixture in the center and fold the edges over to form a croquette ball. Smooth out the ball by rolling it between your dampened hands and placing it on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the croquettes have been formed.
- Generously brush or spray each croquette with olive oil and place them in the oven to bake until crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
- - To prepare the garnish, place the butter, barberries, sugar, and saffron water in a saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until the butter is melted, the sugar has dissolved, and a sauce is formed, about 5 minutes.
- - Place the croquettes on a platter, drizzle with the barberry sauce, and top with parsley and chopped nuts.
Notes
If the croquette mixture is too wet, you can add a couple of tablespoons of rice flour to help it maintain its shape.
I prefer not to use a food processor to make the croquette mixture because it tends to get sticky and difficult to work with. If you do use one, make sure to process it in small batches.
Nothing changes with the cooking instructions if you choose to use ground lamb, beef, or turkey.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!