Kibbeh – Beef Meatballs like in Lebanon

Steps

before starting

• Add the bulgur in a bowl and cover it generously with hot water for 30’

for the filling

• Peel and chisel finely the onion
• In a mortar, crash some allspice well enough to form a powder and remove 2 times 1/8 rounded teaspoon of powder, reserve 1/8 rounded teaspoon in a small bowl
• Heat-up a pan and roast the pine nuts until they become slightly brown, having a nice caramel color
• Remove pine nuts from the pan and clean it with some kitchen paper
• Add into the hot pan the chopped onion and stir without any oil until it starts to shine
• Add the olive oil and stir until it becomes a bit brown
• Add the ground beef and stir with the onion until it’s almost cooked, then add the spices (allspice and cinnamon) and stir a little bit more
• Add salt and pepper and stir everything together
• Add the pine nuts and stir again
• Remove from heat and let them cool down

for the meatballs

• Drain the bulgur and press-it a little bit to remove the exceedance of water
• Wash and chisel the mint
• Peel and slice the onion in large pieces
• In a bowl of an electric chopper, add:
  • the bulgur
  • the onion
  • the mint
• Chop everything together until an almost puree is formed
• Add the ground beef and continue to chop until the mix becomes like a soft cream
• Add salt and pepper along with the spices (allspice and cumin)
• Continue to chop until the spices are well absorbed from the mix
• Take the mix out in a dish
• Add some cold water in a big shallow plate
• Cover your palms with cold water
• Take some of the mix and form a long meatball fitting into your palm
• Make a short of channel in the middle covering the length of the meatball and fill it generously with some of the filling covering all its length
• Close the channel all around with the mix in the texture of “cream” and thus form a big long meatball
• Place it in a dish and repeat; you should form 6 big meatballs and from time to time you need to put water in your hands to help forming the meatballs with using the mix that resembles like a “cream”
• Add enough oil into a casserole and heat it up
• Once it’s hot add the meatballs and cook them for 7’, at the end they will be cooked on all sides
• Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from heat and place them in a dish covered with kitchen paper to absorb the exceedance of oil
• Serve immediately with a green salad
• It’s just marvelous!

Inspiration

This recipe comes from another recipe I found on Olivia’s piece who is presenting their story very well!

This is a dish that it’s usually served in the Middle East and as I adore its spices I decided to make it and I was not disappointed! It’s really good and tasteful even cold!

It’s true that I did not succeed in making the form of the meatballs as we see it on the Internet but I tried my best because I must admit I am not very good when working with my hands! I am better with digital stuff but I still try to make beautiful things even when I am working with my hands :-)

Now it’s up to you to try and make these meatballs because they are really good!

:-)