Mudaqqaqāt Ḥāmiḍa (Sour Pounded-Meat Balls)

Ingredients

• lean red meat
• spice mix
• chickpeas (ḥimmaṣ)
• onion
• fresh tail fat
• souring agent
• dried mint
• wine vinegar
• cold rosewater

Instructions

1. Pound thin-sliced lean meat fine with coriander, pepper, cinnamon, mastic, chickpeas and a little onion; form kubab slightly under bitter-orange size.
2. Render tail fat, fry the kubab until colored, cover with water and add 2-3 cut onions.
3. When cooked and fat separated, sour with lime juice, verjuice, sumac water and/or pomegranate-seed juice.
4. Rub dried mint on top, add a little mastic, pepper and cinnamon; optionally sprinkle wine vinegar and color with saffron.
5. Sprinkle cold rosewater, wipe sides, settle over the fire and take up.