Kibbeh (Fried Bulgur Shells Stuffed with Spiced Meat and Pine Nuts)
کبہ (مصالحے دار قیمے اور چلغوزوں سے بھرے تلے بلغور کے خول)
Kibbeh is the pride of Lebanese and Syrian kitchens: a shell made from fine pounded with lean meat and onion, stuffed with mince fried with onions, warm spices and pine nuts, then shaped into little torpedoes and fried until crisp and brown. They're part of every mezze table and Ramadan iftar in the Levant. Shaping takes a little practice, but the method is the same as stuffing a shami kebab or a samosa, and the result is worth it. Iraqi and Kurdish *kubba* are close relatives.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 30 min
- Hard
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Rinse the bulgur, cover with water for 15 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as possible in a cloth.
For the filling, fry the pine nuts in the olive oil until golden and lift out. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, add the filling mince, 1 tsp baharat and ½ tsp salt, and cook for 8–10 minutes until browned and dry. Stir in the pine nuts and molasses and cool completely.
For the shell, blend the shell meat with the onion, remaining baharat, cumin, salt and iced water in a food processor to a smooth paste. Add the bulgur and pulse until it forms a smooth, pliable dough. Chill for 20 minutes.
With wet hands, take a walnut-sized ball of shell, push your finger into it and turn it around your finger to make a thin, hollow shell. Fill with a teaspoon of filling, close the opening and shape into a pointed oval. Repeat.
Deep-fry in oil at 175°C for 4–5 minutes, in batches, until deep brown and crisp. Drain and serve hot with yogurt.
Serve with yogurt, a salad and lemon wedges.
Kitchen notes
The shell must be smooth and well chilled. Keep a bowl of iced water to wet your hands as you shape.
For an easier version, make *kibbeh bil sanieh*: press half the shell into a tray, spread the filling, top with the rest, score into diamonds and bake at 200°C for 35 minutes.
Shaped kibbeh freeze well before frying; fry from frozen a minute or two longer.
The pride of the Levant
Kibbeh is considered the national dish of both Lebanon and Syria, and there are dozens of kinds: fried, baked in trays, grilled, raw (kibbeh nayyeh) and cooked in yogurt. The fried, stuffed version here is the one found on almost every mezze table. In some Lebanese villages, pounding kibbeh in a stone mortar was once a daily task, and a skilled cook was judged by how thin she could make the shell.
The shell
The shell is made from fine bulgur pounded with very lean meat and onion until it forms a smooth dough. A food processor does in minutes what used to take an hour in a mortar. Keeping everything cold, and adding a little iced water, makes the dough pliable and easy to shape.
The filling
The filling is mince fried with onions, warm spices and pine nuts. The pine nuts add a buttery crunch; walnuts or almonds work if pine nuts are expensive. A dash of (pomegranate molasses) adds a tangy note.
Serving
Serve hot with plain yogurt or laban, tabbouleh, hummus and pickles. For Pakistani readers, kibbeh will remind you of shami kebab and is just as good at an iftar.
Questions people ask
Can I bake kibbeh instead of frying?
Yes. Brush with oil and bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, or make the tray version (see notes).
Why does my kibbeh crack while frying?
The shell is too dry or too thick, or there are cracks from shaping. Add a spoon of iced water to the dough and smooth the surface with wet fingers.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 26 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
