Tekirdağ Meatballs with Special Sauce
Ingredients
- 800 g ground beef
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 medium onion
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon pepper paste
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Preparation
Add salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cumin, baking soda, and lemon juice to the ground beef and knead for at least 5-6 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, add bread crumbs, 1/2 cup water, grated onion, and grated garlic, then knead again for 3-4 minutes.
Shape into long meatballs, cover, and refrigerate for another 4 hours.
Remove from fridge and fry in a pan with some olive oil.
Heat the oil, add meatballs, and shake the pan over high heat to seal the surfaces, then cover and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until done.
Mix the sauce ingredients and serve with the meatballs. The sauce is not cooked.
Tips
You can start preparing the meatballs early in the morning or even the night before.
Shape the meatballs by hand without using any tools.
