Kufte-Bozbash or Azerbaijani Meatball Soup | AZ Cookbook

Name: Kufte-Bozbash or Azerbaijani Meatball Soup | AZ Cookbook
Cuisine: European, Eastern European
Ingredients: ½ cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water or 1 cup canned, drained and rinsed; Crushed dried mint, for garnish; Meatballs; 1 pound (1/2 kg) ground beef or lamb, or a combination (I use 85% lean/15% fat organic ground beef); 1 medium onion, passed though a meat grinder or grated; 1 large egg; 1/3 cup medium-grain white rice, rinsed; 1 tablespoonful crushed dried mint (optional but recommended; read about the herbs in the intro to the recipe); 1 teaspoonful crushed dried summer savory (optional but recommended); 1 teaspoonful crushed dried basil (green basil; optional but recommended); 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 4 dried small sour plums; Broth; 2 tablespoons clarified butter or regular unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 4 medium potatoes, peeled and left whole; ¼ teaspoon turmeric; Salt; Ground black pepper