ISO: Persian meat-stuffed Potato balls

[Michael in FtW]

I'm looking to find the way to make a variation of a Persian dish - Dolmeh-yeh Seeb-Zamini (basically meat stuffed potato balls) that my neighbors used to serve when they invited me for dinner. The thing I'm looking for is a variation on the potato from the above recipe.

The ones I had were white, definately not fried or flattened, about the size of an egg and had the texture and look of a boiled new potato.

I'm guessing ... boil and mash some potatoes, when cool mix with some beaten egg (maybe something else as a binder?), put a tablespoon of potatoes in your hand, form into a hollow 1/2 egg shape, add the meat filling, put another tablespoon of potatoes on top ... then roll into balls.

How do I get stuffed mashed potatoes to have the texture of boiled new potatoes????

 

[urmaniac13]

Hmm, I tried a goodle search myself, varying the spelling in some other possible way, but I kept coming up with the identical recipes, even from different sites
Maybe it was the family tradition recipe that your neighbour served?

I would try pressure cooking or microwave cooking the whole potatoes, then make a cavity scooping out the inside, stuff with the stuffing and then oven cooking (possibly covered?) for a little more, kinda like double baked potatoes... that is my guess for an optional recipe, but let's wait and see if there is more reply from more skilled/experienced experts...

 

[Andy M.]

Michael:

I checked two relevant cookbooks in my library (an Eastern Mediterranian cookbook and a Persian, Lebanese, Armenian cookbook) and found nothing that resembles your 'stuffed potato' dish.

Frankly, it looks a lot like a variation of kibbeh (or kufta). That is, a stuffed meatball (or, in your version, stuffed potato ball).

I would guess your idea of mashed potato with egg for bindng will work. I'd give it a try. Make a half ball in your hand, fill it with the meat mix and close it off with a little more potato.

I guess you could steam them to maintain the color. I think they would break up in a simmering broth.

 

[SharonT]

Perhaps you could cook them as you would potato dumplings

 

[Yakuta]

Michael I am slightly confused by your question related to new potatoes vs mashed potatoes.

We make something similar in Indian cooking and call it mince patties. They sound similar to what you are trying here is the technique that I use and it works well. I actually just made 130 of these for a party and froze them. I will reheat them in the oven and they will be gone in no time.

Boil potatoes. I like to wash them and then either cook them in a pot filled with water or pressure cook them. I like to use potatoes that are not extremely sticky and starchy (like idaho's or reds). I normally use the Yukon Gold to make mine.

Once the potatoes are cooked. Let them cool a bit and dry. Once the skin is completely dry you peel that and grate them. I don't like to mash. I also like potato ricers but they can be tough on my hands so I just use a good old fashioned grater.

Now add some salt to the pototes and taste.

Take a small handful of potatoes in your hand and flatten it to form a disc. Repeat with another handful. Pick up one disc, add the meat stuffing in the middle and cover it with the second disc. You can then create any shape you like. I like them flattened.

You then coat it in breacrumbs, dip it in egg and fry.

The potatoes used in any of these recipes have absolutely no liquid in them. That's what makes them more pliable.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Thanks gang! Never let it be said that in the search for something exotic (well, exotic to me - simple home cooking for Maha) I can't overlook the obvious. I was apparently describing a stuffed potato dumpling but just wasn't thinking of it in that sense.

I'll just have to play with some recipes for the potato mixture - and the cooking method (bake, boil, steam) but at least now I have a point to work from.