Kibbeh
Kibbeh is considered the national dish of both Syria and Lebanon, and is found across the Levant from Turkey to Egypt. The name derives from an Arabic word meaning ball. The basic combination of finely ground meat with cracked wheat appears in medieval Arab cookbooks, making it one of the longer-documented dishes of the region. The outer shell is made by processing bulgur wheat and very lean raw meat into a smooth, paste-like dough. The more loosely spiced filling — cooked meat with onion, pine nuts, allspice, and cinnamon — contrasts with the dense exterior. The shell must be thin and even: too thick and the filling is overwhelmed, too thin and it breaks during frying. Kibbeh nayyeh, the raw version, is eaten as a separate dish.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- Shell: 300 g fine bulgur wheat (#1 grade), rinsed and drained
- 400 g very lean lamb (or beef) mince, chilled
- 1 medium onion, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Filling: 300 g lamb (or beef) mince
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 80 g pine nuts (or cashews)
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying (about 1 litre)
How to make it
- 1Soak the bulgur in cold water for 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze out all moisture firmly with your hands; combine with the chilled lean mince, grated onion, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
- 2Process for 3–4 minutes, adding ice water a tablespoon at a time if needed, until you have a smooth, stiff dough; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3Make the filling: heat the oil over medium heat; cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
- 4Add the mince and brown, breaking it up, for 6–8 minutes; stir in allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and pine nuts; cook 2 minutes.
- 5Cool completely; shape: wet your hands with cold water.
- 6Take a 60 g piece of dough and mould it around your index finger into a hollow torpedo shape with 5 mm thick walls; fill the hollow with about 1 tablespoon of filling.
- 7Pinch the open end firmly to seal it into a pointed torpedo; repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- 8Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; fry: heat oil to 175°C.
- 9Fry in batches of 4–5 for 4–5 minutes, turning gently, until deep golden brown all over; drain on paper; serve warm with yoghurt or garlic sauce and pita bread.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
