Ground Lamb

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Voli are marbles, the multicolored little balls that were so popular with kids during my childhood. But unlike the glass versions, which were quite expensive, the ones we used to play with were made of clay and colored in various bright, glossy shades. They were fragile, and their glaze would crack, revealing their dark red insides, similar in color to these delicious meatballs with bulgur. This recipe comes from the island of Rhodes, and bulgur is probably the grain originally used. Later, in the stewed meatballs of the mainland, it was replaced by rice.

Serve with bowls of diced tomato, sliced romaine lettuce, and purchased eggplant salad to spoon atop burgers in pitas. Finish with fresh apricots, grapes, and cookies.

Before spooning yogurt out of the carton, pour off any liquid on top. If you use a particularly thick yogurt, you may need to thin the sauce with a little water.

Although lamb is not commonly found in Chinese dishes, Hong Kong restaurants reach out to explore every nuance of Asian cuisine. Lamb is popular with the nomads of Mongolia and Manchuria; they would most likely cook the meat in a firepot. Here it's used in a more delicate stir-fry.

Koosa Claritas — pale green, slightly rounded zucchini — are traditionally used in this dish, but we find that yellow zucchini make for a more attractive presentation because they don't discolor when cooked in tomato sauce.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Serve this quick stir-fry with rice.

In this recipe, matzo meal binds a delicious stuffing that features ground lamb, pine nuts, fresh mint and turmeric.

Called tzatziki in Greece, this yogurt sauce can also be used on a baked potato as a nonfat alternative to sour cream. To prevent the pita bread in this recipe from getting soggy, place the trimmed portion of the bread down into the pocket to act as a sponge for the lamb drippings and yogurt.

Raita is traditionally served as a cooling complement to particularly spicy dishes in Indian cuisine, but we find this yogurt salad an excellent accompaniment to a wide variety of foods, including the mild curried lamb patties below. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this pilaf-like dish with mango chutney and cold yogurt.

Quick, upscale and delicious. Leftover garbanzo bean spread makes a great dip for carrot and celery sticks.