A different taste that the kokoreç (grilled intestines) lovers can eat without hesitation; Stuffed Intestines. A taste exclusive to Cyprus, it can be cooked in the oven or be fried and served with bulgur pilaf. It is especially an essential of the bayram tables. This month, we were the guests of Meryem Kuran’s kitchen. We tasted this fabulous taste from the hands of Meryem hanım. You can also try it at home. Bon appetit. 

Ingredients

Lamb or goat intestine

½ kg minced meat

2 tomatoes

2 table spoon rice

2  middle size onions

1  table spoon tomato paste

15-20 branches of parsley

Black pepper, salt

Lemon and salt for cleaning

Thread

Preparation

Cleaning the giblets requires a lot of attention and a long time. First, Meryem hanım turned the intestines inside out and cleaned them couple of times, cleaned them carefully. Later, she let them rest in a bowl of water with added lemon and vinegar. After removing them from water, she washed them again with lemon juice and vinegar and rinsed them. The intestines are now ready to be stuffed. She put the minced meat in a bowl and grated the onion and the tomato on it. Then she cut the parsley, added rice, black pepper and salt, and mixed the stuffing thoroughly.

The fatty parts of the intestines should be left inside when stuffed. The stuffing is stuffed with the help of a funnel or the top part of a plastic bottle and she tied the intestine every 10 cm like sausages. She boiled the stuffed intestines in a pot for 30 minutes. After boiling is done, she fried them on hot oil. Some people make bulgur pilaf with the water used to boil the stuffed intestines. Pilaf cooked in this water tastes great.

Bon appetit.