Lebanese Kibbeh

Ingredients:

For the shell:

3 cup- Bulgur, fine or No. 1

1 1/2 cup- All-purpose flour

Salt to taste

1 tsp. Cumin powder

2 tsp. Paprika

4 – 6 tbsp. Cold water

For the filling:

16 oz. Ground Beef

4 tbsp. Olive oil

1- Onion, chopped

1/4 cup- Pine nuts

1 tbsp. All spice powder

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon powder

1 tsp. Cumin powder

1 tsp. Black pepper powder

1 tsp. Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet add onions and fry for few minutes.

2. Add the ground beef. Stir, squish and break it apart constantly with a spoon.

3. Add all spice powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, salt and black pepper powder, stir, and cook until much of the moisture is gone.

4. Move the ground beef over to one side, skip the oil, and cook the pine nuts in the grease left behind by the meat until they brown.

5. Turn off the heat and remove the pine nuts to a cutting board. Chop ‘em up into nice little chunks. And return them to the skillet and mix well.

6. Pour the bulgur into a strainer with fine mesh. Run it under cold water for a few seconds, making sure that it all gets wet. Squeeze the excess moisture out with your hand.

7. Transfer the bulgur to a large mixing bowl. Add in the all-purpose flour, cumin powder, paprika, salt and water. Mix everything by hand until it forms a dough.

8. Take a piece of dough. Squeeze it a few times with your wet hands, so the moisture from your hands mixes with the dough, and then roll it into a ball.

9. Next, create a depression in the ball with your thumb and then pinch the sides into a deep bowl shape, smoothing out with a moist fingertip any fissures.

10. Fill that bowl with a tbsp. of the meat mixture. Pinch the kibbeh shut and smooth over the newly-closed area. You’ll have a ball again.

11. Then carefully form it into the classic kibbeh shape. This dough makes nearly 30- 35 kibbeh. Set aside.

12. Heat oil in a pan, fry the kibbeh until it turns to golden brown in color.

13. Serve with lemon wedges and tahini sauce.