KIBBE / KIBBEH

Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern snack made with bulghur, minced onions and ground red meat, usually beef, lamb, or goat. Kibbeh can be made in two different ways..one is the baked version, where we spread the mix in a tray with a filling and bake it. The other way is to shape into croquettes with a filling of cooked meat to which spices and nuts are added. Traditional recipe is with pine nuts but if they are not available you may use pistachios and almonds.

My recipe of kibbeh here is with some minor changes. Though I have tried making with meat earlier, today I have used chicken mince and the taste is as good as the ones made with red meat. I also like to add a spoon of Zaatar to this as I love it's tangy flavour.

Ingredients:

Bulghur ...        3/4 cup (soak it for a couple of hours)

Chicken mince ... 250 gms (you can use meat mince too )

Onions ............. 2 small (sliced)

Pine nuts ........... handful (can substitute with other nuts)

All spice ........... 1 tsp (can substiute with garam masala)

Cinnamon ........ 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder .. 1 tsp
Zatar ................. 1 tsp
Black pepper .... 1/2 tsp
Baking powder ... 1/2 tsp
Bread crumbs ..... 2 tbsp (my addition to the recipe)
Salt ................ to taste
Oil

To make the filling:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Saute half of the onions (save the remaining for grinding with the meat )

2. Add about 50 gms of the mince and stir fry. Add salt and a little cumin, black pepper and all spice powder. Cover it for a few minutes on very low flame and it is done.
Since we are using chicken mince it cooks fast. If you use beef or goat meat you may have to add a little water to cook. It has to be completely dry in texture. Add the roasted or fried pine nuts.

 To make Kibbeh:

1. In a food processor grind the remaining onions. add the mince, spice powders mentioned above, salt bread crumbs and baking powder.

2. Take a large bowl and remove the mix into it. Add the drained bulghur and knead it with wet hands to mix it well.

3. Now take a little portion of this on your hand and flatten it. Place a little stuffing in the middle and seal it pressing firmly into a roll shape first. Pinch the corners to give it the kibbe shape as shown in the picture. Refrigerate them until you are ready to fry.

4. Heat oil and deep fry the kibbeh to a nice golden brown colour.

5. Serve them with Pita bread and  Hummus or Baba Ganoush

See the following recipes by clicking on the name:

Hummus

Baba Ganoush

Roasted Bell Pepper Hummus

Falafel

Tabouleh

Baked potato kibbe with zatar

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