Madzoon ov Kofte (Armenian Yogurt and Meatball Soup)
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on August 2, 2021
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If Aleppo pepper is unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons of paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Dried mint is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking; its flavor is quite different from that of fresh mint, so if you can't find it, it's better to omit it than to substitute fresh. You can substitute small elbow macaroni for the pasta shells. We prefer the richness of whole-milk Greek yogurt here, but low-fat can be used; avoid nonfat. Fresh parsley or mint, or a combination of the two, can be substituted for the cilantro. It's unnecessary to temp the meatballs because they will reach a food-safe temperature if cooked according to the recipe instructions. (For more information on food safety, check out this guide.)
Instructions
- Toss beef with water, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Add bulgur, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, coriander, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mix by hand until uniform. Transfer meat mixture to cutting board and press into 6-inch square. Using bench scraper or sharp knife, divide mixture into 36 squares (6 rows by 6 rows). Using your lightly moistened hands, roll each square into smooth ball and leave on cutting board.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, mint, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has broken down into soft paste and is just starting to stick to saucepan, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add broth, chickpeas and their liquid, and meatballs to saucepan. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Adjust heat to maintain simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and continue to cook until pasta is tender. While pasta cooks, whisk yogurt and egg yolk together in large bowl.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Using ladle, transfer 1½ cups broth to liquid measuring cup (try to avoid meatballs, pasta, and chickpeas). Whisking vigorously, gradually add broth to yogurt mixture. Add half of yogurt-broth mixture back to saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in remaining yogurt-broth mixture. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Heat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature registers between 180 and 185 degrees (do not allow soup to boil or yogurt will curdle). Remove from heat. Broth should have consistency of buttermilk; if thicker, adjust by adding hot water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and season with salt to taste.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon spiced butter, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently, being careful not to allow temperature to exceed 180 degrees. If necessary, thin by adding water, 2 tablespoons at a time.)
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
We made this into a one-dish meal by including pasta and chickpeas. We used Greek yogurt, since it gave the soup the requisite thickness and dairy richness without leaving it overly tart. We added an egg yolk to give the soup further richness and a silky consistency. Unlike the time-consuming stuffed, spiced meatballs that are more traditional here, we opted for easy-to-make meatballs from ground beef and bulgur. Finally, we garnished the soup with cilantro and Aleppo pepper–infused melted butter.
Before You Begin
If Aleppo pepper is unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons of paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Dried mint is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking; its flavor is quite different from that of fresh mint, so if you can't find it, it's better to omit it than to substitute fresh. You can substitute small elbow macaroni for the pasta shells. We prefer the richness of whole-milk Greek yogurt here, but low-fat can be used; avoid nonfat. Fresh parsley or mint, or a combination of the two, can be substituted for the cilantro. It's unnecessary to temp the meatballs because they will reach a food-safe temperature if cooked according to the recipe instructions. (For more information on food safety, check out this guide.)
Instructions
- Toss beef with water, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Add bulgur, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, coriander, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mix by hand until uniform. Transfer meat mixture to cutting board and press into 6-inch square. Using bench scraper or sharp knife, divide mixture into 36 squares (6 rows by 6 rows). Using your lightly moistened hands, roll each square into smooth ball and leave on cutting board.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, mint, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has broken down into soft paste and is just starting to stick to saucepan, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add broth, chickpeas and their liquid, and meatballs to saucepan. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Adjust heat to maintain simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and continue to cook until pasta is tender. While pasta cooks, whisk yogurt and egg yolk together in large bowl.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Using ladle, transfer 1½ cups broth to liquid measuring cup (try to avoid meatballs, pasta, and chickpeas). Whisking vigorously, gradually add broth to yogurt mixture. Add half of yogurt-broth mixture back to saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in remaining yogurt-broth mixture. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Heat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature registers between 180 and 185 degrees (do not allow soup to boil or yogurt will curdle). Remove from heat. Broth should have consistency of buttermilk; if thicker, adjust by adding hot water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and season with salt to taste.
- Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon spiced butter, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently, being careful not to allow temperature to exceed 180 degrees. If necessary, thin by adding water, 2 tablespoons at a time.)
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