Qifqi – Albanian rice balls with mint

Put the rice in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add all the measured water and half the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat. Simmer gently for about 15–18 minutes, until the rice is soft and has absorbed the water. Do not drain it, and do not add more water; watch it toward the end so it does not stick.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Then fluff the rice with a fork and spread it in a thin layer on a large plate. Once it stops steaming, refrigerate and cool until completely cold, usually about 30 minutes altogether. Do not leave cooked rice on the counter any longer; it should be refrigerated within an hour of cooking.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add all the cold rice, the dried mint rubbed between your fingers, the remaining salt, and the pepper. Mix thoroughly, breaking up any clumps of rice. The mixture should be moist and easy to spoon; do not add flour or breading. Divide it roughly into four batches of six qifqi. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator until frying.

Pour the measured oil into a small bowl; it must be enough for all four batches. Heat a pan with round wells over moderate heat and spread about a quarter of the oil among six wells. Spoon a portion of the mixture into each, pressing it lightly to fit the shape of the wells. If the pan has seven wells, leave one empty. Return the remaining mixture to the refrigerator immediately.

Fry over moderate heat for about 3 minutes, until the bottoms set and begin to brown. Do not move the mixture immediately after adding it. If the oil smokes or the bottoms darken very quickly, lower the heat. Wait until each ball can be gently loosened with a teaspoon without falling apart.

Carefully turn each ball with two teaspoons and fry the other side. If necessary, turn them onto their sides as well so they heat evenly. A batch usually takes 6–8 minutes in total; the center should be set, without any liquid egg mixture. Transfer the qifqi to a plate, leaving the excess oil in the pan.

Fry the remaining three batches of six, dividing only the rest of the measured oil among them. Each time, take just the amount of mixture needed out of the refrigerator. Serve the qifqi immediately, six per person, without accompaniments. Frying already reheats the rice: cool any leftovers quickly and refrigerate within an hour, then eat them cold within 24 hours of the rice's initial cooking. Do not reheat them again.