This frozen saffron tarragon and sourdough recipe is, despite its archived English title, a recipe for saffron koofteh: large herb meatballs filled with prunes and fried onion, then gently simmered in tomato sauce. Nothing is frozen, and no bread sourdough is used.

Persian saffron koofteh meatballs with tarragon savory herbs and prune filling
A cohesive, well-kneaded mixture helps the large herb koofteh hold together as they simmer.

The confusing words came from translation. “Sourdough” refers here to summer savory, the herb often paired with tarragon; “frozen” appears to have replaced koofteh. The historic title and saffron-sourdough phrase remain visible for readers who found the page under that wording, while the ingredients and technique are corrected below.

Frozen Saffron Tarragon and Sourdough Recipe

Makes: 8–10 large koofteh
Preparation: 45 minutes, plus split-pea soaking
Cooking: about 1 hour

For the koofteh

  • 500 g lean ground beef or a beef-and-lamb mixture
  • 150 g basmati rice (about 3/4 cup), rinsed
  • 150 g yellow split peas (about 3/4 cup), soaked for 2–4 hours
  • 350 g mixed fresh herbs: parsley, mint, spring onion, leek greens and dill, finely chopped
  • 150 g fresh tarragon and summer savory, finely chopped; or 4 tablespoons mixed dried herbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon strong saffron infusion, cooled
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon mixed warm spice, such as cinnamon and cumin

For the filling

  • 200 g pitted prunes, soaked for 15 minutes and drained
  • 2 tablespoons crisp fried onion

For the tomato sauce

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoons fried onion
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • Black pepper and salt, to taste
  • About 1.5 litres hot water, enough to mostly cover the koofteh

Prepare the Rice and Split Peas

  1. Drain the soaked split peas, cover with fresh water and simmer until just tender, about 20–25 minutes. Drain thoroughly and cool.
  2. Bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and cook for six to eight minutes, until the outside of a grain is soft but the centre remains firm. Drain and cool.
  3. Pulse the cooked split peas briefly in a food processor or crush them with a potato masher. They should become coarse and sticky, not a smooth purée.

Mix the Saffron Koofteh

Put the ground meat, cooled rice, split peas, chopped herbs, egg, saffron infusion, salt, pepper, turmeric and warm spice in a wide bowl. Knead firmly by hand for eight to 10 minutes, lifting and folding the mixture until it becomes cohesive and slightly tacky.

This is the structural step. If the mixture is only stirred, the large balls are more likely to open in the sauce. Cover and refrigerate it for 30 minutes after kneading.

Use a concentrated but cooled saffron infusion so it does not loosen the mixture. Our guide to brewing saffron for savoury recipes explains the extraction.

Make the Tomato Sauce

  1. Heat the oil in a wide pot deep enough to hold the koofteh in one layer. Add the fried onion and tomato paste and cook for two minutes.
  2. Stir in turmeric and black pepper, then carefully add the hot water. Season lightly with salt.
  3. Bring the sauce to a full boil before shaping the meatballs. It should be deep enough to mostly cover them, with room for the liquid to circulate.

Fill and Shape the Koofteh

  1. With wet hands, take a portion of the mixture about the size of a small orange. Flatten it into a thick cup in your palm.
  2. Place one or two prunes and a little fried onion in the centre. Draw the edges over the filling and pinch them closed.
  3. Roll gently between wet palms until the surface has no cracks. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Simmer Without Breaking

Lower each koofteh carefully into the boiling sauce. Keep the pot uncovered and the sauce bubbling gently for the first 15 minutes; moving or covering the pot too soon can disturb the surfaces before they set.

Then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for another 35–45 minutes. Spoon sauce over exposed tops occasionally, but do not stir with a spoon. The centre of each meatball must reach 71°C (160°F), the safe minimum for ground meat in the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service chart.

Serve and Store

Rest the pot off the heat for 10 minutes, then lift each koofteh into a shallow bowl and spoon over tomato sauce. Serve with flatbread, fresh herbs and yoghurt. The prune in the centre provides a sweet-tart contrast, so additional sweet garnish is unnecessary.

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within three days. Reheat gently in their sauce until piping hot; rapid boiling can break the meatballs after storage.

Allergen note: the koofteh contains egg.