In this kibbeh recipe, a mixture of bulgur wheat, onions, and ground beef forms a hollow shell for a delicious stuffing. Enveloped in warm and earthy Middle Eastern spices like allspice and ground cinnamon, kibbeh is the epitome of Middle Eastern comfort food. The kibbeh croquettes can be deep fried or baked, and are often served asmezzeor side dish.See more on kibbeh and the step-by-step tutorial below!
For the Kibbeh (the actual dough that forms the kibbeh shells)
2 1/2 cupsfine bulgur wheat
Water
1 large onion, quartered
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef (or lamb)
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
Pinch salt
Oil for frying
For the Meat Filling
Olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped or grated
1 lb ground lamb or beef (I used beef here), cold
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
Cover a fine mesh strainer with a light cloth (a cheesecloth, if you have one). Add the bulgur wheat in, then place the strainer into a bowl filled with water. Let the fine bulgur wheat soak in the water for 15 minutes, then pull the cloth, holding the bulgur, and squeeze all the water out. You may do this a couple of times until you are sure the bulgur is rid of water. Set aside for now.
Now make the kibbeh (the actual dough that you will later use to form the kibbeh shells). Put the onion, ground beef, spices and pinch of salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the meat is very finely ground almost into a paste. Transfer the meat mixture into a large bowl and add the bulgur wheat. Use damp hands to combine the bulgur with the meat mixture to make a dough. Cover and refrigerate until later.
Now make the filling. Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet or frying pan. Saute the onion until just golden, then add the ground beef. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is fully browned. Add the toasted pine nuts, the spices, and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Remove the kibbeh dough from the fridge.
To stuff the kibbeh, you need to have damp hands. Place a small bowl of water next to you. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
With both the bowl of kibbeh dough and the filling near, you can begin stuffing the kibbeh. Dampen your hands with some water, take a handful of the kibbeh dough (about 2 tbsp or so) and form into somewhat of an oval-shaped disc in the palm of one hand. Use your finger to make a well in the middle of the disc, and gradually hallow the disc out to make a larger well or hole for the filling. Using a spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Seal the dough on top and, using both hands, carefully shape it into an oval (football-type shape). Place the stuffed kibbeh on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the stuffing steps until you run out, be sure to have damp hands throughout.
Chill the stuffed kibbeh for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees F (you'll want the oil hot enough that you can see some gentle bubbling, but not too hot where it will burn the kibbeh shells). Deep-fry the kibbeh in the hot oil, in batches being carefully not to crowd them, until the kibbeh shells are brown (about 5 minutes or so). With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove the kibbeh and place them on a pan lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat until you have fried all the stuffed kibbeh.
Serve hot or at room temprature with tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce or plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Notes
It is important that the kibbeh dough remains cool as you work with it. So if you think it will take you longer to finish the stuffing process (steps 5&6), place the bowl of kibbeh dough in a larger bowl filled with ice.
If you prefer to bake the kibbeh croquettes--Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the stuffed kibbeh with olive oil, and arrange them in a single layer, spaced out, on a large baking sheet. Bake until deep golden brown (likely about 30 minutes or so, but this will vary).
To freeze the kibbeh-- You can easily freeze the kibbeh after stuffing. Instead of simply chilling for an hour (step #7), you can arrange the kibbeh on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour or two. Take the baking sheet out of the freezer, once the kibbeh have hardened, and transfer the kibbeh to a freezer-safe container or even large zip lock bags. Freeze until you are ready to use. You can cook these from frozen, do not thaw.
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In this kibbeh recipe, a mixture of bulgur wheat, onions, and ground beef forms a hollow shell for a delicious stuffing. Enveloped in warm and earthy Middle Eastern spices like allspice and ground cinnamon, kibbeh is the epitome of Middle Eastern comfort food.
Here's a run-down: Baked kibbeh, Kibbeh bil sanieh is stuffed kibbeh in a baking sheet or other baking dish. Raw kibbeh Kibbeh nayyeh, is like steak tartare, but with finer ground meat. Kibbeh labanieh is kibbeh balls with warmed yogurt sauce (Lebanese laban).
Kibbeh is considered to be a national dish of Syria. In Levantine cuisine, kibbeh is made by pounding bulgur wheat together with meat into a fine paste and forming it into ovoid shapes, with toasted pine nuts and spices. It may also be layered and cooked on a tray, deep-fried, grilled, or served raw.
Just keep in mind that barley is not a whole grain since it does not contain the outer bran. What can I substitute for bulgur wheat in kibbeh? Either quinoa or rice. Quinoa has the same nutty flavor, whereas rice is a bit softer and has a milder flavor.
Kibbeh is an arabic word derived from “kubba”, which means ball. It is a combination of very lean ground meat, cracked bulgur wheat and spices. Some have likened kibbeh to meatloaf, which is a great way to describe it especially for this baked kibbeh version.
Although there are some versions of the dish that are baked or fried (such as Kibbeh raas, quipe, Kubba halab, or Kibbeh bil sinieh), others (like Kibbeh nayyeh) are prepared and served raw. Raw meat has been linked to numerous food poisoning outbreaks. Kibbeh nayyeh has specifically been linked to an outbreak as well.
An article posted on CNN Arabic website mentions that there are about 70 variations of Kibbeh. It originated from the Levant region of the Middle East, and there are several stories about its exact origins, but some stories mention that it originated from the city of Aleppo in Syria and then spread to Lebanon and Iraq.
We discovered that many people do not know much about American pine nuts, or even that these exist! Pinyon or Pinon Pine Nuts are a wild, native American food, known on the East Coast as Indian Nuts. There are many common misconceptions about these amazing nuts (some even note that they come from India!).
Cashews. Cashews resemble pine nuts in color, texture and mild sweetness, and can be used as a substitute in just about any recipe. Stick to unsalted versions (roasted or raw varieties both work), and toast them to provide extra depth of flavor.
Besides this, pine trees are also difficult to harvest and involve extremely labour-intensive processes. The cones are first hand-harvested followed by sun-drying and deshelling the cones before the nuts are extracted. Because the cones take a while to process and harvesting is difficult, the nuts are rather expensive.
Kafta uses more spices. Cracked wheat- kibbeh uses cracked wheat or bulgur within the meat, but kofta does not use any wheat product whatsoever. Cooking method- Kofta is traditionally grilled, but kibbeh is either baked, fried or served raw.
The national dish of Lebanon is kibbeh, an emulsified paste of fresh lamb and bulgur wheat with spices. Meat tends to be made into nuggets and charcoaled or stuffed into vegetables. Vegetables are usually the main feature of the meal.
The term "Kibbeh Nayeh" means "Raw Kibbeh" and is used to differentiate it from the famous traditional Kibbeh, which is fried. Kibbeh Nayeh is tartar. Considering that in gastronomic terms it is called tartar, and preparation of raw meat or fish, finely chopped and seasoned with spices.
Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the oil and gradually mix in the water to form a soft dough. It should not be sticky. On a floured surface knead the dough for a few minutes.
Because there are alternative preparations available for the traditional kibbeh dish, such as frying or baking, it is possible to eat the dish safely if the meat is cooked to 160oF as measured by a meat thermometer. Eating the raw version, though, comes with a high risk of foodborne infection and illness.
In baking, a "soft dough" refers to a mixture of flour and other ingredients that has been combined to the point where it has a smooth, pliable, and elastic consistency, but it remains slightly tacky or sticky to the touch. Soft doughs typically have a higher moisture content compared to firmer or stiffer doughs.
Bulgur consists of parboiled whole or crushed partially debranned wheat grains, and is used as a substitute for rice, e.g., in pilaf, an eastern European dish consisting of wheat, meat, oil and herbs cooked together.
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