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Chicken Mince Meatballs with Rice in Tomato Sauce in a Multicooker-Pressure Cooker
Instructions
I lay out the ingredients on the work surface. I use good-quality chicken mince – shop-bought without soya or made at home (mince 300 g of chicken breast or thighs through a meat grinder with a coarse plate). Chicken thighs give a juicier mince, breast a more dietary one.
I prepare the rice. I take ½ cup of round-grain rice (90 g) – the right sort for meatballs, with good binding. Long-grain rice does not suit – it will not bind the mass. I rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear – this removes excess starch and dust. I pour 1 cup of water (250 ml) over the washed rice and boil it over low heat for 7 minutes. This is critical: the rice must be half-cooked – when you cut a grain you can see a white heart in the centre, soft on the outside but firm inside. Over-boiled rice will fall apart in the meatballs, raw rice will give crunchy grains in the finished dish.
I drain the half-cooked rice in a colander and let the water run off. I cool it fully to warm (5–10 minutes) – hot rice would cook the raw egg white when mixed with the mince. Then I add the cooled rice to the chicken mince in the mixing bowl.
Meanwhile I prepare the vegetables. I peel the onion (2 pcs., 150 g) and cut it into a fine 5 mm dice. I peel the carrot (1 pc., 100 g) and grate it on the coarse side of the grater. The vegetables will be used both in the mince and in the tomato sauce. On a pan with vegetable oil (1 tbsp. of the total 3) I sauté the onion with the carrot over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until soft. The onion should turn translucent and lightly golden, the carrot soft. The sautéed vegetables give a rich taste and aroma to the meatballs and the sauce.
Important step: I divide the sautéed vegetables into 2 parts. One part I transfer to the bowl with the mince and the half-cooked rice – it will flavour the filling. The second part stays in the pan – it will be the base for the tomato sauce. Do not combine the vegetables into one mass.
I make the tomato gravy. To the remaining sautéed vegetables in the pan I add the tomato paste (2 tbsp. = 60 g, thick and good-quality). I stir and let it cook for 1 minute – the tomato paste melts into the hot vegetables. I dilute the tomato mixture with 0.5 litres of clean water (or meat stock for a richer taste) and whisk thoroughly until the sauce is smooth. I taste it – if needed I add a little sugar (½ tsp.) and salt; the sugar balances the acidity of the tomato. I leave the gravy in the pan and simmer it for 1–2 minutes over medium heat until it comes to the boil. The sauce is ready for pouring over the meatballs. I take the pan off the heat and set it aside.
To the bowl with the mince, the rice and one part of the sautéed vegetables I add a raw egg (1 pc.) – the binding ingredient. I salt (½ tsp. = 5 g) and pepper (1 pinch) to taste. I mix thoroughly by hand for 3–5 minutes until smooth and pliable. The ready mince is soft, holds its shape when squeezed in a fist and is well bound. If the mass is too runny, add 1 tbsp. of flour or breadcrumbs; if too dry, add 2 tbsp. of cold water or milk.
With damp hands I form the meatballs into slightly flattened patties or round balls about 5 cm across (around 50 g each). From 300 g of mince plus 90 g of rice you get 12 meatballs – enough for 6 servings (2 per portion). I heat the remaining vegetable oil (2 tbsp.) in a pan. I roll the formed meatballs in flour (40 g = 2 tbsp.) for a golden crust and fry them on both sides for 2–3 minutes over medium heat until browned. Frying seals the juices inside.
I carefully transfer the fried meatballs into the bowl of the multicooker-pressure cooker in a single layer – do not stack them on top of one another or they will stick together. If there are many meatballs, cook them in batches of 6–8.
I pour the prepared tomato sauce over the meatballs in the multicooker bowl so that it covers them to about ⅔ of their height. I add the bay leaf (1 pc.) and the black peppercorns (6 pcs.).
I close the lid of the multicooker and the pressure valve (for the pressure-cooker mode). I set the "Stew" mode for 20 minutes.
After the ready signal I must release the steam through the valve for 5–10 minutes (opening the lid instantly risks a burn). Once the pressure has dropped (the float is down), I carefully open the lid.
The chicken mince meatballs with rice in tomato sauce are ready! I serve them hot, 2 per portion, together with the gravy, and sprinkle generously with freshly chopped parsley and dill.Bon appetit at the family dinner table.
Tips
- 1
Boil the rice only to the half-cooked stage (7 minutes) – the "secret" to tender meatballs. Raw rice will give crunchy grains, fully boiled rice will fall apart.
- 2
Divide the sautéed vegetables into 2 parts – one into the mince, the other into the sauce. Do not combine them.
- 3
Roll the meatballs in flour before frying – it gives a golden crust and seals the juices. I make meat meatballs in gravy on a similar principle.
- 4
Brown the meatballs before stewing – it seals the juices inside and the meatballs will not fall apart in the sauce.
FAQ
Can I cook the meatballs in an ordinary pot without a multicooker? +
Yes, the classic method works just as well. Prepare the meatballs and the tomato sauce as in the recipe. Carefully lay the fried meatballs in a thick-bottomed pot or a sauté pan in a single layer. Pour over the tomato sauce and add the spices. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes (twice as long as the multicooker because there is no raised pressure). Check from time to time – the sauce should not boil away completely; add 100 ml of water if needed. The meatballs cooked in a pot turn out just as tender, but the process takes longer. The advantage of a pot is that you can see the process and adjust the thickness of the sauce.
What can I use instead of chicken mince? +
These options will do: turkey mince (more dietary, more tender), a 50/50 mix of chicken and beef (a richer meaty taste), a 50/50 mix of pork and beef (the classic Soviet meatballs, fattier), lamb mince (for an "Eastern" aroma with turmeric), fish mince from pike-perch or pike (dietary fish meatballs). For a lean version – with button mushrooms (300 g) and boiled green lentils (200 g) for a "meaty" texture. Chicken mince is the "classic" of Soviet children's cooking because of its tenderness, lightness and quick cooking. For a premium version – veal and chicken mince 50/50.
How long do the cooked meatballs keep? +
Cooked meatballs with gravy keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a tightly closed container. On the second or third day the taste is even richer – the meatballs soak up the tomato sauce and spices as much as possible. Before serving, reheat them in a pot or pan with the gravy over low heat for 5 minutes, or in the microwave for 3 minutes under a cover. You can freeze them in portions for 2 months in airtight containers with the gravy – before eating, thaw fully in the refrigerator for 8 hours and warm through. Raw formed meatballs can be frozen for 2 months separately from the sauce.
What to serve the meatballs with? +
They are ideal with any neutral side that will soak up the aromatic gravy: mashed potatoes with butter (a classic of Soviet cooking), boiled basmati or jasmine rice, fluffy buckwheat, pasta (fettuccine, spaghetti), macaroni, pearl barley, boiled potatoes with herbs. From salads – fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs), sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers. From sauces – extra soured cream, garlic sauce, ketchup. From drinks – compote, fruit drink, kvass, light beer (a man's dinner), dry white wine (Riesling, Chardonnay). For a family dinner on a weekday evening with children. For a children's menu – with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
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