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Kibbeh โ€“ Middle Eastern Beef and Bulgur Croquettes

Kibbeh (Arabic ูƒุจุฉ ) is a Levantine dish made mostly of bulgur, ground meat, minced onions, mint and middle eastern spices. Kibbeh is also spelled kebbah, kubbah, kibe and has other spellings, depending on the region. Kibbeh is very fragrant and considered to be a national dish of many Middle Eastern countries. These stuffed balls (foot ball shaped) are usually served as a side dish or a meze. It can be served with a salad, Tzaziki sauce, Tahini dip and you name it.  Kibbeh can be shaped as balls or patties and can be fried or baked. You can find this dish in Brazil, Colombia and may be found somewhere else.

Put the washed bulgur (1/2 cup) in a bowl with ยฝ cup hot water. Let it soak the water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the minced onion and spices.
Add beef.
Get your hand in the bowl to mix everything well and work the kibbeh dough until it is smooth. You may need to add 1 tablespoon water or more if the dough is not homogeneous.
Cover the kibbeh dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Saute the onion and mint in olive oil for 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef and the rest of the filling ingredients. Cook the meat while stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Let cool.
Take out the kibbeh dough from the refrigerator and form balls. Make sure to dump your hands in a bowl of cold water during this process.
Take each ball in your hands and form kibbeh shells by making a hollow in the middle of each ball. Fill up the hollow with the meat filling or kibbeh stuffing (about 1 tbsp in each).
Pinch the top to seal the ball and form a foot ball shape with your hands. Cover the kibbeh formed and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before frying.
Deep fry the kibbeh in batches, in the hot oil until they are brown.
5 from 10 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 12
Author LDS’s Mom

Ingredients

For the kibbeh dough

  • ยฝ cup fine bulgur
  • 1 cup ground beef
  • ยฝ medium onion, minced
  • ยฝ tsp cumin
  • ยผ tsp cinnamon
  • ยผ tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves (or less)
  • ยผ tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ยฝ tsp paprika
  • ยฝ tsp pepper

For the meat filling

  • 1 cup ground beef
  • ยฝ medium onion, minced
  • ยฝ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ยผ tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp ginger powder
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves (or less)

For frying

  • Canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. First of all, wash the bulgur with warm water.
  2. Put the washed bulgur in a bowl with ยฝ cup hot water. Let it soak the water for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Once the bulgur absorbed all the water, dump it in a large bowl and add the minced onion, the beef and the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Get your hand in the bowl to mix everything well and work the kibbeh dough until it is smooth. You may need to add 1 tablespoon water or more if the dough is not homogenous.
  5. Cover the kibbeh dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
  6. Prepare the kibbeh filling by putting oil in a large pan, over medium heat.
  7. Saute the onion for 2 minutes, then add the ground beef and the rest of the filling ingredients.
  8. Cook the meat while stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Let cool.
  9. Take out the kibbeh dough from the refrigerator and form balls. Make sure to dump your hands in a bowl of cold water during this process.
  10. Take each ball in your hands and form kibbeh shells by making a hollow in the middle of each ball. Always dump your hands in the bowl of cold water from time to time while forming the kibbeh.
  11. Fill up the hollow with the meat filling or kibbeh stuffing (about 1 tbsp in each).
  12. Pinch the top to seal the ball and form a foot ball shape with your hands.
  13. Place the kibbeh formed (foot ball shaped) in a large plate.
  14. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
  15. Pour the oil in a deep frying pan and heat over medium heat.
  16. Deep fry the kibbeh in batches, in the hot oil until they are brown.

  17. Drain the kibbeh on paper towel.

  18. Serve with a salad, Tzaziki sauce, Tahini dip and you name it.

Recipe Notes

You can add roasted pine nuts to the kibbeh filling if you like.

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The Best Moist Carrot Cake

This is a moist, flavorful cake and the lemony cream cheese frosting takes the carrot cake to the next level.
Peel and cut the 4 carrots and cook them in a slightly salted water.
 Once cooked, purรฉe the carrots.
Grate the carrot left, then prepare the cakes batter.
Pour the batter in 2 round pans ( 9 inches diameter) and bake in 350ยฐF preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting by mixing all the ingredients until smooth.
Let the cakes cool completely.
Use a knife to slightly cut the middle parts of the cakes to make the surface even.
Spread the cream cheese frosting on one of the cakes. Put few of the cake crumbs on top of the frosting to avoid wasting it. Make sure to keep some of the crumbs for the top cake if you like.
Place the second cake on top of the first one. Place it upside down, to keep the smooth surface on top.
Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the second cake and all around the sides.
Put the reserved cake crumbs on top to hide any imperfection if you like.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 10
Author LDS’s Mom

Ingredients

  • 4 medium to big carrots
  • 1 medium carrot grated
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ยฝ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • ยฝ cup milk (any type)
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ยฝ tsp salt
  • ยผ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature to butter the pans

Cream cheese frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 lemon juice (about 1 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. First of all, peel the 4 carrots and cut them small.
  2. Put the carrots pieces in a saucepan and add 2 cups of slightly salted water.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
  4. Add the 2 tablespoons of honey. Let cook for 2 more minutes. The water should be absorbed completely. Let cool.
  5. Puree the carrots in a food processor until smooth. In this recipe, I obtained 2 cups carrots puree.
  6. Preheat oven to 350ยฐF.
  7. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  8. In a bowl of a stand mixer whisk the eggs and sugar until fluffy (you can use a wooden spoon if you don’t have a stand mixer).
  9. Add the pureed carrots (about 2 cups), the grated carrot and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes.
  10. Add the oil slowly while constantly whisking, then add the milk and whisk more.
  11. Add the juice and zest of the lemon.
  12. Pour in the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  13. Slightly butter two 9 inches round pans.
  14. Pour the batter in the pans.
  15. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean if inserted in the middle of each cake.
  16. Let cool completely and prepare the cream cheese frosting.
  17. Put the cream cheese frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  18. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
  19. Use a knife to cut the middle part of the cakes to make the surface even.
  20. Take one cake and spread the cream cheese frosting all over its surface.
  21. Crumble the cut parts of the cakes on top to avoid wasting them. Make sure to reserve a little bit of the crumbs to be used later (optional).
  22. Place the other cake upside down. Keep the smooth part on top.
  23. Spread the cream cheese frosting on top and all around the sides of the cakes.
  24. Sprinkle few cake crumbs on top to hide any imperfection of the cake (optional).
  25. Enjoy.
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