Boil the rice for five minutes in boiling water, then chop the onion and garlic in a blender.

Mix the minced meat with the chopped onion, garlic, and rice. If the minced meat is not fatty, add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, along with salt and pepper. Shape the "yozhiki" (meatballs with rice) and fry them in vegetable oil in a frying pan until golden brown.

In another frying pan, dilute the tomato paste with water so the sauce covers the meatballs. Add spices, sugar, salt, and pepper, and balance the taste—the sauce should be rich, sweet, and sour.

Pour the sauce over the yozhiki and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

P.S. If you are making mashed potatoes as a side dish, add as much butter as possible for the best flavor.