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Kibbeh
Serves 16 Prep 1 hr Cook 15 min Total 1 hr 15 min Type Meal Origin Middle East

Kibbeh

Levantine fried croquettes: a bulgur-and-ground-lamb shell encloses a spiced lamb-and-pine-nut filling. Football-shaped, fried golden, served as part of a mezze spread. The national dish of Lebanon and Syria.

Serves 16 Prep 1 hour Cook 15 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Two preparations: the bulgur-and-mince shell paste and the spiced cooked filling. The shell is shaped around a portion of filling into a football shape, then deep-fried until the outside is golden and the inside is hot and savoury. Served warm with yogurt or tahini.

Ingredients

Shell

  • 200 g fine bulgur wheat
  • 500 g lean lamb mince
  • 1 onion (small, very finely grated)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion (small, finely chopped)
  • 250 g lamb mince
  • 50 g pine nuts (toasted)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
  • salt
  • pepper

To fry

  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying

To serve

  • Plain yogurt (or tahini sauce)
  • Lemon wedges
  • Parsley

Method

Stage 1 - Soak bulgur

  1. Rinse the bulgur under cold water; soak in cold water for 15 minutes.
  2. Drain and squeeze out any excess water in a clean cloth.

Stage 2 - Filling

  1. Heat the oil; cook the onion 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add the lamb mince; brown well.
  3. Stir in pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, sumac. Season; cool.

Stage 3 - Shell paste

  1. In a food processor, blend the soaked bulgur, raw lamb, grated onion and spices for 1-2 minutes until a smooth paste forms.
  2. Refrigerate 30 minutes (firms up for shaping).

Stage 4 - Shape

  1. Wet your hands.
  2. Roll a heaped tablespoon of shell paste into a ball; make a deep indent with your thumb to form a hollow.
  3. Fill with a teaspoon of cooked filling.
  4. Pinch the opening closed; shape into a football (pointed at both ends).
  5. Set on a tray; repeat.

Stage 5 - Fry

  1. Heat oil to 180°C in a deep pan.
  2. Fry the kibbeh in batches for 4-5 minutes until deep golden and cooked through.
  3. Drain on a wire rack.

Stage 6 - Serve

  1. Pile on a plate.
  2. Serve with yogurt or tahini, lemon wedges and parsley.

Notes

  • Fine bulgur, not coarse: Coarse bulgur gives a grainy shell; fine blends into a smooth paste.
  • Wet hands prevent sticking: Bulgur paste is sticky; keeping hands damp makes shaping much easier.
  • Football shape: The classic. Pinch the ends; the centre stays plump.

Storage

  • Best fresh from the oil. Shaped raw kibbeh freeze 2 months; fry from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes.
  • Cooked keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat at 180°C for 5 minutes.

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