With the weather getting colder and colder, there is a dish that perfectly suits the weather and will warm you up.
Yuvarlakia is the food that reminds us of our family tables and the warmth of our home. For many, this soup with its juicy little balls of minced meat is a childhood favorite, a true heirloom food.
This is not by chance, since yuvarlakia combine nutritious ingredients, with simple preparation and a taste that always wins our hearts and stomachs. That is why it is the hot dish loved by young and old alike.
The preparation of the rice: The first step for perfect yuvarlakia
The basis of a good balance of textures in the dish is none other than the choice of the right rice.
Start by soaking it in water to soften it. After soaking, rinse the rice well and drain it carefully. The ideal rice for this recipe is parboiled, a rice that has been steamed. This process transfers some of the starch from the outer husk to the grain.
What makes it excellent for yuvarlakia is that, despite the preparation, it does not fall apart and gives body to the minced meat mixture and the soup.
The importance of broth and the right mince
Rice, as we all know, has no flavour on its own, so boiling it in broth is important. A broth of beef or chicken, enriched with herbs such as parsley, celery and thyme, will give depth of flavour to the dish.
As for the minced meat, choose beef, preferably lean, especially if the dish is to be served to children. Cuts from the leg are ideal, with a fat content of around 10%, which makes the result light but tasty.
The double grinding of the minced meat ensures a soft and tender mixture, since this way the fibers of the minced meat are broken. Adding extra virgin olive oil gives extra moisture and flavour.
The kneading process: The secret to fluffy yuvarlaki
The kneading of minced meat is a special stage. The minced meat should change colour, turning “white”, which indicates that the ingredients have been properly combined.
Add rice, an egg, chopped onion, grated carrot, salt, pepper and your favorite herbs. The preparation is simple, but the fermentation process requires patience and attention.
Then, form small balls from the mixture, about the size of a walnut. The balls should be uniform, so that they all cook at the same time, without falling apart during boiling.
The soup: The heart of the dish
The soup is the basis of our dish, and the vegetables we choose play an important role in its taste. Onion, carrot and celery are the basic vegetables, which is lightly sauté’d in olive oil before adding water or stock.
Once it boils, add the yuvarlakia to the soup, add salt and let the food simmer for about 30 minutes.
As they cook, the yuvarlakia absorb the flavour of the soup, with the rice puffing up and holding everything together, while the minced meat remains tender and juicy. It is important to taste the soup during cooking to adjust the salt and pepper.
This soup is a healthy option, full of nutrients and low in fat, ideal for parents who want to offer their children something tasty and healthy.
Egg-Lemon: The Finishing Touch
Egg-Lemon is what gives the soup its characteristic thick texture. The “tying” with eggs is a technique that originates in 1 AD. century, where it is mentioned by Roman Apicius, in his book “about cooking”.
From then until today, cooks around the world have developed a multitude of techniques to give liquids the density and texture, with egg-lemon still holding its place in our kitchens.
To make a successful egg-lemon, you need to follow some simple but important steps.
The proteins found in both the white and yolk of eggs coagulate when heated. The versatility of eggs as thickening agents is unmatched by any other ingredient in conventional cooking.
At temperatures above 55°C (130°F), egg proteins begin to form thermomechanically irreversible clots. It is important to remember that the egg white coagulates at lower temperatures than the yolk, as it does not contain fat.
For this reason, first, beat the egg whites into a light meringue and then add the yolks.
Mix in the lemon juice and some cornflour to ensure the sauce is smooth, thick and reheatable. So the most critical point is to incorporate the hot broth gradually, so that it does not “cut” the egg .
Then, add the mixture to the pot and bring to a boil, being careful not to overheat, so as to preserve the texture of the sauce and at the same time to pasteurise the egg.
A food that combines taste and nutritional value
Yuvarlakia is not only a favourite food of the family kitchen, but also a dish that combines taste and nutritional value. Ideal for cold days, it offers us warmth, energy and with the right ingredients and the right technique, it can turn out to be an absolute culinary delight.
Maria Papakonstantinou is a columnist for Cantina. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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