Palestine | Kibbeh

Palestine is a nation of vibrancy and flare. In terms of food? Palestinian cuisine sticks out from the rest of the world due to their unique combinations of flavors and rich tradition. 

"Within Palestine there is a great diversity of food. Medleys that vary from season to season, street to home, city to village, coast to mainland and even north to south. Each governorate has its own specialities and secrets, priding themselves on their quality ingredients and individuality."

In spite of culinary nuances between regions there are still the same traditional and fundamental elements to Palestinian cooking such as olive oil, olives, beans, legumes, yogurt, seasonal vegetables and quality meat and fish. 

My experience with this recipe was positive, but incorrect. I made the mistake of using the stuffing ingredients (which included the cooked meat) and placing in the blender with the rest of the dough ingredients. This resulted in a "wetter" dough and a less exciting stuffing. I strained out the excess liquid from the dough and made it work. Just be sure to do, both the dough and stuffing, separately because it can easily get confusing because they include a couple of the same ingredients. 

This meal is comforting. The mint adds a unique punch to the dish and the use of allspice and cinnamon creates a flavor that is very familiar to the region of the world. Kibbeh is a great appetizer choice for a party if you want to stick out from the crowd and impress your friends.

 

Ingredients Needed:

2 pounds finely ground beef (or lamb, lean, divided)

1/2 pound bulghur cracked wheat (medium or #2)

1 teaspoon salt (plus 1/2 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon pepper (plus 1/2 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cumin

2 medium onions (1 finely chopped, and 1 coarsely chopped, divided)

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

Vegetable oil (for frying)

 

Kibbeh Dough

  1. In a medium bowl, soak wheat for 30 minutes in cold water.

  2. Remove and drain. Remove excess water by squeezing through thick paper towel or cheesecloth.

  3. Place into a medium bowl and combine with 1 pound meat, coarsely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

  1. Combine well and place a small amount in a food processor until dough-like consistency. You can slowly add an ice cube at a time during processing if needed.

  2. Place mixture aside, covered. Instead of using a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle. However, it will take you over an hour to achieve desired consistency.

Prepare Kibbeh Stuffing

  1. In a medium frying pan, sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil. Add pine nuts if desired.

  2. Add ground lamb or beef and chop well with wooden spoon or spatula to ensure the meat is chopped. Add allspice, salt, pepper, and cumin.

  3. Once beef is light brown, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Assemble Kibbeh and Fry

  1. Take an egg-sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making space for filling. Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. This recipe will make about 25 medium-sized kibbeh.

  2. You can then shape it into a point, or football shape, or leave as a ball.

  3. Fry in 350 F oil on stove top or in a deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

  4. Drain on paper towels and enjoy!

 

Tips

Kibbeh can be stored in the freezer in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Prepare and do not fry.

Recipe provided by: The Spruce Eats

Jack Hatzfeld