Tefteli (Russian Meatballs with Rice)

Method

1. 1Rinse the rice and boil it until half-cooked (5–7 minutes), then drain and cool. Raw rice pulls moisture from the meat and stays hard; hot rice cooks the mince.
2. 2Grate the onion and carrot. Sauté half in oil for 10 minutes until soft (for the mince) and keep the rest for the sauce. Caramelized vegetables add sweetness and depth.
3. 3Combine both kinds of mince, the cooled rice, the sautéed vegetables, the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix it, but don't overwork it, or the meatballs turn dense.
4. 4With damp hands, roll balls the size of a large walnut. Brown them on all sides in the pan without cooking them through — the crust seals in the juices.
5. 5In the same pan, sauté the remaining onion and carrot, add the tomato paste, and cook for a minute so the paste loses its raw edge.
6. 6Stir in the sour cream and a little water or stock to a gravy consistency, and season. Don't boil the sour cream hard or it splits — keep a gentle simmer.
7. 7Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and braise for 25–30 minutes over low heat, turning them. Serve with mashed potatoes or buckwheat, sprinkled with herbs.