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Epicurious

Madzounov Champra Porag

This Armenian specialty makes a hearty main dish. It has a pure and fresh quality and is an entirely different experience from eating an Italian or Asian pasta dish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb or beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 chicken bouillon cube
3/4 pound pasta shells or other small pasta shapes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 quart plain whole-milk yogurt

To Garnish

4 tablespoons butter
4–5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons crushed dried mint

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix the ground meat and onion and add salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Work to a soft paste with your hands and roll into 3/4-inch balls. Bring to the boil, with the bouillon cube, enough water to cover the meatballs. Drop them in and poach them for about 15 minutes.

    Step 2

    Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until done al dente.

    Step 3

    Beat the egg into the yogurt (so that the yogurt doesn’t curdle; see page 113) and season with salt and pepper. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring every so often. Add the drained meatballs and drained pasta and heat through.

    Step 4

    For the garnish, melt the butter, and stir in the garlic and the mint. Let it bubble for a moment only. The garlic should not fry.

    Step 5

    Serve hot with the garnish dribbled on top.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
TagsPastaPasta ShellsArmenianMiddle EasternGround LambLambMeatGround BeefBeefOnionRoot VegetableVegetableCinnamonHerbs & SpicesYogurtDairyGarlicMintMainDinnerNut FreePoachCookbooks
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