Tzirani Gololig & Thingamidoodah

When I have a minute to enjoy other blogs' recipes, I drop by Belleau Kitchen for its creativity and genuineness. This month, I was wickedly tempted to play with its Thingamidoodah, a randomiser actioned by baby luck who picks a recipe allowing entry in Random Recipes and you know what that Omen of a toy came up with Arto der Haraoutunian's Middle Eastern Cookery Tzirani Gololig.

But let's wind up a little, in order to count the cookery books, they needed to be gathered. Something, somewhat difficult in the aftermath of new kitchen. Where cookery books used to live, there is now a pantry.

Undeterred, I asked an ex-neighbour for help, we drove to Catford timber which is one of these wonderful emporium stacked with "all sorts of..." in this case raw timber, we bought enough poplar to make a bookcase. he designed it, we struggle with it, used the longest clamps I ever saw, cut, placed, glued, puzzled, laughed and produced this:

Which was rapidly filled up like so:



From which this, was extracted:



 Tzirani Gololig or Meatballs in apricot sauce

This is said to be a recipe from Armenia, the land of apricots, Arto der Haroutunian describes it as, 'Virtually unchanged from the distant past" if I had to do it again I would definitely drop the rice in the balls and replace it by breadcrumbs and choose the paprika more carefully for the sauce.

Ingredients

for the lamb meatballs:1 lb/450g minced lamb
1 egg
1 medium onion
100g/4oz cooked rice
1teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, cumin, and salt
1/8 teaspoon each allspice and Aleppo pepper
1/4 tablespoon minced parsley
3 tablespoons arak (or ouzo though I only had pastis)
1.2litres/2pints stock
pepper

for the sauce:
100g/4oz dried apricots, soaked overnight in 300ml/half pint cold water
2 medium-size onions, finely diced
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh coriander or 1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon paprika

Method:
To prepare the meatballs you will need to pass the meat through a mincer with the onion so that you can a very fine mixture. Then in a large bowl you add all the balls ingredients, mix well and divide them in small portions which you roll to form a ball and place in a saucepan with the stock.
Bring to boil simmer for 15 minutes and drain

Meanwhile prepare the apricot sauce, put the apricots, garlic, coriander and 5 tablespoons of apricot water in a liquidizer and blend
Heat the fat and fry the onion until soft, add the flour and paprika and continue frying for a couple of minutes. Add the apricot mixture and gradually thin with the stock.
When it's sauce like add the meatballs and simmer gently for 30 minutes

I am entering this recipe in