Bean and Rice Meatballs

 Ingredients: 500 g beans, 100 g rice, 1 slice of bread, 2 pieces of onion, 3-4 cloves of garlic, 1 carrot, 1 parsley, thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 bunch of fresh parsley, salt, pepper, oil for frying, flour

To prepare these delicious bean patties, we will start by ensuring that the beans are well prepared. So, we soak the beans from evening until morning. This process will not only reduce cooking time but also help achieve a more pleasant texture. The next day, we drain the beans and put them to boil in a pot of warm water, adding a pinch of salt to enhance their flavor. We let them boil for 2-3 minutes, then discard the water, an essential step to eliminate any unwanted substances.

After draining the beans, we put them back to boil, this time with fresh water. Meanwhile, we take care of the vegetables: we peel the carrot, parsley, and onion, then grate them. These vegetables will add a savory taste and an unmistakable aroma to our patties. We add the grated vegetables to the pot with the beans, along with a few bay leaves and a teaspoon of salt to intensify the flavor.

In another pot, we boil 100 grams of rice separately, ensuring that it is well cooked to integrate perfectly into the final composition. While the beans and rice are boiling, we take a slice of bread and soak it in cold water to make it easier to incorporate into our mixture.

When the beans are cooked and soft, we drain them and pass them through a meat grinder, along with the cooked rice and the well-pressed slice of bread. This mixture will form the base of our patties. We then add thyme, salt, and pepper to taste, as well as finely chopped parsley and crushed garlic, which will provide an extra flavor. We knead the mixture well until we obtain a homogeneous paste.

After achieving a uniform mixture, we form the patties by shaping them with our hands. We then coat them in flour; this step will help achieve a crispy crust when frying them. In a pan, we heat the oil and fry the patties until they become golden and crispy on the outside.

We serve the patties hot, alongside a fresh salad or a yogurt sauce to complete the meal. Enjoy your meal!

 Tags:  onion greenery garlic carrots rice bean flour oil lactose-free recipes vegetarian recipes meatballs