Alissa’s Amazing Kibbeh
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 as mezze or side dish. See more on kibbeh and the step-by-step tutorial below!
Kibbeh
Stuffing kibbeh is a recreational activity that Middle Eastern women take as seriously as they do stuffing zucchini or rolling parcels of rice-filled cabbage leaves. It’s kind of a big deal. A right of passage, if you will. If you grew in that part of the world, it’s assumed that your mother and the ladies of your community would have trained you to make kibbeh by the time you turned 15!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cupsfine bulgur wheat
- Water
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 ½ lb lean ground beef (or lamb)
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ 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
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt and pepper