Kibbeh Recipe (Beef And Bulgur Wheat Meatballs)

Middle Eastern kibbeh is a finely ground paste of bulgur, onions, and lamb or beef, which is formed into patties or balls, filled with coarsely ground, sweetly spiced meat, onions, and pine nuts, and deep-fried.

MAKES 16

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 1 tbsp. olive oil, plus more to garnish
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 8 oz. ground beef sirloin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 tbsp. ground sumac, plus more to garnish

For the Shell

• 1 1⁄2 cups fine bulgur
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 lb. lamb shoulder, trimmed of all fat and sinew
• Canola oil, for frying
• Plain yogurt, for serving
• Mint leaves, to garnish

Instructions

For the filling: Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add beef, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Add salt, allspice, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, until meat begins to brown, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl, stir in nuts and sumac and let cool.

For the shell: Rinse bulgur, squeeze out excess water, and place in a large bowl. Add salt, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and onion, and set aside. Grind lamb twice in a meat grinder, and add to bulgur mixture; knead mixture in the bowl into a pliable paste, about 5 minutes. Cover bowl with a clean dish towel.

Shape about 1⁄4 cup of the bulgur-meat paste into a ball, moistening your hands with water as you work. Hold the ball in one hand and insert index finger of another hand into center to form a hole. Shape ball into a thin-walled (about 1⁄4"-thick) oval with an opening at one end by molding ball around the finger, gradually tapering closed end. Mend any cracks in the shell with a moistened finger. Fill the hole with 1 1⁄2 tbsp. of the filling. Moisten edges of the opening, then gather edges together to seal. Gently form kibbeh into the shape of an egg, and keep moist under a clean dish towel. Repeat shaping with remaining filling and bulgur-meat paste to make 16 egg-shaped balls in all.

Pour oil to a depth of 2" into a 6-qt. Dutch oven and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°. Working in batches, fry kibbeh until browned all over, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter, and spoon some yogurt on the platter alongside the kibbeh. Drizzle oil over yogurt, and sprinkle with more sumac. Serve with mint leaves on the side.

Grilled Kibbeh Recipe

Serves  - 4 Persons
Preparation Time  - 30 Minutes
Cook Time  - 20 Minutes

A great revisited Middle Eastern recipe prepared with a little hot sauce. It’s worth trying, check it now!

INGREDIENTS

•  500 g ground meat
•  250 g fine bulgur soaked in water for 30 minutes
•  1tsp black pepper
•  1tsp cumin
•  1 halved onion
•  1 tsp salt
•  1 tsp cinnamon
•  1 tsp dried mint
•  1 tsp allspice
•  Vegetable oil to grease the grill, as needed
•  2 tbsp American Garden hot sauce Louisiana Style

PREPARATION

1- In a food processor, process the meat with the bulgur and onion.
2- Season with salt, black pepper, cinnamon, dried mint, allspice, and cumin. Mix well until combined.
3- Knead the ingredients using hot sauce until the meat dough is homogenous.
4- Divide into the medium-sized ball and shape into fingers.
5- Preheat the grill and oil it evenly.
6- Grill the kibbeh until done.

Note: Allspice is a mixture of spices and herbs widely used in the Middle Eastern cuisine. It can be prepared easily at home from different spices such as cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, dried lime, and Curcuma. Use it to enrich your savory dishes!

Vegan Lentil Kibbeh: Vospove Patties Recipe

A dish typical of our Armenian Lebanese Subculture, the Lentil Kibbeh is known as the Vospove Kafta.

It is purely Vegan, very nutritious with Red Lentils, Burghul, fresh Parsley and fried onions. It sparkles the palate with spicy pepper paste, and is mostly consumed with Oriental Salad.* Adopted from Easy Lebanese Recipes.

Servings 6 ppl | Prep Time  25 minutes | Cook Time 30 minutes |  Passive Time  35-40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Red Lentil washed
• 2 Onions (medium) chopped finely
• 1/2 bouquet Fresh parsley chopped finely
• 1 1/2 cups Fine Burghul
• 1 tbsp Pepper paste or chili pepper
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 4 1/2 cups Water boiled
• 1/2 cup Pure Olive Oil for cooking (not virgin)
• 1 tbsp Salt 

To Garnish

Fresh parsley finely chopped
Lettuce shells (small) Optional

Instructions

1. In a casserole, bring the water to a boil, stir in the lentils, and season with salt. Cover, and lower the heat for the lentils to simmer for about 20 minutes or until they turned into a creamy paste.
2. Remove the casserole from the heat, and stir in the Burghul, cumin, pepper paste and paprika. Cover and leave it for the ingredients to adhere and the lentils to absorb all the liquid (about 35-40 minutes)
3. Meanwhile, fry the onions in preheated oil until golden, and chop the parsley.
4. Add the fried onions and parsley into the lentil casserole and mix all very well with a wooden spoon. Move all the culinary preparation into a salad bowl and leave it to cool at room temperature.
5. With a tablespoon, and hands dipped in cold water, scoop from the Lentil Kibbeh 1 tbsp at a time and squeeze gently lengthwise. Place them gradually on the serving plate.

Garnish

Decorate with lettuce shells around them, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Serving

To be consumed cold with an Oriental salad. (instructions below)

Recipe Notes

ORIENTAL SALAD:

• 5 medium tomatoes dicedLentil Kibbeh Oriental Salad
• 5 small-medium cucumbers, diced
• 1 Green Pepper, Diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 bunch Fresh mint, chopped
• Dressing: Salt, Lemon juice, and Olive Oil

Fruit Salad

If your kids shy away from eating salads in breakfasts, try this nutritious and yummy Kerala style salad. The lemon juice adds a tangy note. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pineapple slices
• 1/4 cup banana slices
• 1/2 orange
• 1/4 cup grapes
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 clove
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

How To Make:

1. Boil cinnamon and clove in water.
2. Add the pineapple slices to it.
3. After it cools down, remove the herbs and
4. Add the remaining fruits to it.
5. Add lemon juice and condensed milk. Keep it in the fridge
6. And serve chilled.

Kerala Style Idlis

Did you know that Idli is cooked in most households in Kerala more than twice a week? Preparing soft idlis is not difficult when you have an idli cooker and the necessary ingredients. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal
• 3 cups raw rice
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare:

1. Soak both the urad dal and rice for 30 minutes.
2.  Add the fenugreek seeds.
3. Make a thick paste of urad dal, rice, and fenugreek seeds.
4. Let the batter ferment overnight.
5. Add salt to it and make idli-shaped molds.
6. Grease the idli cooker with oil and place the molds in it.
7. Steam the idlis for 15 minutes. Serve hot with sambar.

Coconut Chutney | Kerala Style

Coconut is an integral part of Kerala cuisine. From rice to bread, it is used extensively by Keralites in cooking. This chutney is perfect for serving with dosas and idli. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/2-inch ginger
• 1 green chili
• 10-15 curry leaves
• 1/4 cup onion
• 2 whole red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon oil

How To Prepare:

1. Mix the onion, green chilies, ginger, and coconut and grind with salt and water.
2. Sauté the curry leaves, onion pieces, whole red chilies, and mustard.
3. Mix it with the ground paste after taking it off the flame.
4. Add some water. The chutney is ready.

Tomato Chutney

This tangy-sweet tomato chutney tastes great and is the perfect companion for idiyappam and dosas at breakfast. It needs very little time to cook. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 medium-sized onion
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste
• 6-7 curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• A handful of coriander leaves

How To Prepare:

1. Sauté the onions first.
2. Add sliced tomatoes and
3. The spices to the pan and continue frying.
4. Add the coriander leaves
5. And some water to the mix.

Tangy tomato chutney is ready!