I like integrating American food with Ethiopian. One of the things I remember growing up was the mini meatballs on toothpicks that were served Hors d’œuvre like at wedding and birthday parties.
We would always have them and gibjza’s in our place… I really loved them, and everyone I know loved them too; they disappeared really fast!
Ethiopian meatballs are distinct in comparison to the rest of the world meatballs. For example, Swedish meatballs are too soft for me, and the Italians one are too big and hold so much moisture.
It’s great that Ethiopians in the US still make them the way I had them growing up, I see these meatballs mostly at weddings, not so much at birthday parties.
Nowadays Abesha birthdays are more barbeque than parties, and I abhore it. Esti, if you are going to throw a bash for you 32nd birthday do something different. I was at your birthday barbeque every year since your 27th and every year I eat your dry burger that come pre-made from the grocery store. Ya, even cave men can throw a meat on the fire!
Get some Ethiopian Meatballs at your party; I will even share my recipe. Its imperative to remember is that these meatballs need to be very small; marble size, and served room temperature; because you have to the flavor of the fresh Qaria.
Ground Qaria is the focal point of Ethiopian Meatballs. Enclosed my recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef – ground your own, the fresher the better
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs – unflavored, or you can just used flour
- 1 egg beaten to death
- 1/8 cup, feta or mozzarella cheese, ( u can switch with cream or another egg)
- 3 to 4 jalapeño peppers ground (Qaria)
- 2 cloves freshly ground garlic
- salt
- pepper
- fresh rosemary
Preparations:
Mix all ingredients together. Mixture should be moist but not so that the meatballs fall apart.
Shape meatballs to marble size and place on a frying pan 1/8 cup of olive oil — place rosemary in oil for flavoring. (I wet my hands before shaping each meatball and it helps make a nice ball.) Broil until outside is slightly brown on one side and then turn and broil the other side. Take out and put on plate with paper towel. Wait until cool before serving.
And don’t forget to put a toothpick on it!
Published by July 15th, 2007 in Food.
Those look sooo good that i want to eat them right now – and i don’t even eat meat!! I love the feta/mozarrella twist on it.
I know what you mean about Ethio gibza and meatballs. I never used to pass a buffet without dishing out those – before i quit malete new.
It sounds mouth watering good but never had Ethiopian meatballs. Will try them this week and let you know how it turns out. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Is the picture of the one’s you made because they look gooooood!
lol is there enough of him to go around?
My 14 year old brain started to wonder what you were talking about….here… he he
For example, Swedish meatballs are too soft for me, and the Italians one are too big and hold so much moisture.
yap yap the picture is actually from the one I made I wanted to garnish with rosemery but didn’t have any more left so I used celery for garnish
WOW Nolawi i didn’t know you can cook. I can’t wait to make it yammmm!! Thanks
Noles, your meatballs look good. I remember my mother making polpetti (meatballs) growing up as well. I make them once in a while. I dont add any cheese in mine but adding mozzerella sounds really yummy. I will try it with cheese next time I make them.
Now Kikisha you brought the right name for those things I savoured so much. Polpetti was my favourite hors de o’euvre in any cocktail party at home. Nolawi you are right I never liked any of the meatballs I ate in Scandinavia (in Europe for that matter) except those meatballs made by my friends wife, an Ethiopian lady. Have you ever prepared them(a bit hotter) for a date? If so, how did it turn out?
Nolawi, you keep reminding me things that I used to love when I was back home. To tell you the truth, growing up I wasn’t a meat lover. My favorite Ethiopian dish was Shiro which I still cook once a week.
However, I remember those tasty meatballs being served when we went to gibjza’s or have one at home.
Yes, I admit…I never pass on a buffet where meatballs were served.
Thanks for sharing your recipe, I will definitely try it!
Nol, thanks for sharing the recipe. I have a get to together this weekend that will be a good addition to the things I plan to cook.
nolawi,thank you so much for bringing sweet memories back,I love the modification i bought all my ingredients to cook .the funnest thing is i used to make and share with my friends during photo shots season ,may i just say this ladies this recipe is waist friendly ,if it is used as low carb .thanks nolawi
Sky You should definitely invite me for a taste
yes yes yes…ethiopian meatballs. key member of a ‘sehan’ full of ‘yegebzha megeboch’…”atecheresewem” watch me. abo yemecheh nolawi.
uffa nice recipe nolawi, have to try making it too….thanks
ohhhh. ethiopian meatball, now bernos got more intersting .once you tasted ethiopian meat ball you would never taste anything ,off course i like my ethiopian meatball nice and firm ,easy on the mouth ….thank you nolawi i think i am going to get some now ohhhhhhhh
thx for the recipe nolawi, am try it now.
I love the Ethiopian meet balls too… but I don’t remember people back home putting cheese in the meet balls….
I don’t think cheese was wildly available back home except in famous Fantu Grocery
ya that is why i said add another egg or cream… in ethiopia they mostly add egg sometimes milk..,
Kikisha….polpetti is the name for them…ummmmmmm my mom makes the best ones too…..I might have to call her and tell her to make me some
Will you come for a private tasting before serving to other people?!!!
sure I will, send me the time & location….
good one bro… you brought back some obscure memory. Yeah those meatballs used to be off the hook. Probably my favorite dish at every gebza back home. And yes, I vividly remembered my horror and disappointment at the initial taste of the disgusting meatballs in this country.
alright nalowi the date is officially set,will you tell us how tasty sky’s meatball is?
well ive heard plenty about these meatballs and how great nolawi is as a cook…but ive yet to see it…
i actually didn’t get an invitation yet…. so…
Imagine that, a regular renaissance man! I am impressed
I am making this toady:)
DNL if you can take a picture of the meatballs and email it to u know where that would be great… we can post it in here
I hardly eat the pre-made meatballs from grocery store. Thanks for the recipe. Definitely will try.
sourcearticle.info has some more information
I can help but to be skeptical of a Meatballfest lol
p.s Ben Thompson, I think its time to start paying for the advertisments on each thread lol, you lucky I dont run bernos lol
I truly the blog page, keep it up. I discover this kind of stuff fascinating. Seems like an trustworthy mistake on the sales rep’s part, but it can be anything that shouldn’t happen.
Man, my grandmother was Italian and she made the most incredible meatballs I ever tasted, like you wouldnt believe. Sadly, she died last year and she didnt leave a single recipe for me so I’ve been trying to work it out on my own… slowly working my through the meatball recipes here, I still cant figure out what her secret ingredient was though!!!
fabulosae rereco de enurandio y ramerz con tipta egubu. gizingus a dindesumo y ssandrava crulv con ograpes ergicos!