Let’s go to Albania now! These rice bites were surprisingly good! They disappeared in minutes! I suppose you can add whatever herbs and spices you feel like. Here, in my version, I added some fresh parsley on top, just for the decoration, but my parsley was sad… Sorry about that! I don’t know how you can substitute egg (chick pea water perhaps?) or cheese (is there a tofu variant that corresponds parmesan?) to make it full vegan.
Ingredients
3 cups (≈450 g) cooked, cooled rice (leftover basmati works great)
3 eggs
50 g grated hard cheese (parmesan/lagrad prästost)
optional 1 tbsp dried mint + 1 tbsp chopped dill or parsley
2 spring onions finely sliced (or ½ small red onion, minced)
2–3 tbsp wheat flour (or fine corn flour) to bind, as needed
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Rapeseed oil, for shallow frying
To serve: thick yoghurt with a pinch of salt & dried mint
Steps
1 Mix: Stir rice with eggs, herbs, spring onion, cheese (if using), salt & pepper. Add just enough flour to make a sticky mixture that holds shape.
2 Shape: With wet hands, form walnut sized balls (or small patties).
3 Cook: Shallow fry in 1–2 cm hot oil over medium heat, turning, 6–8 min total until nicely browned. Oven option: oil a mini muffin tin, fill, and bake 220 °C (fan 200 °C) for 10–12 min.
4 Serve: With salted yoghurt and lemon wedges. Great as a snack or with a crisp salad.
Notes: Traditional qifqi are made in a special dimpled pan; a muffin tin or small patty method mimics the shape. Add a pinch of chilli if you want a gentle kick. Leftover rice works best because it’s drier and binds better.
Lambros' kitchen travellog 