Orange Blossom Water

Kibbeh is a traditional Syrian dish made of dough and filling. The dough consists of bulgur,  meat and onion, the filling consists of minced meat with nuts. There are more than 60 kinds of kibbeh. Kibbeh Meqliyeh is Deep fried Kibbeh.

Let’s make Kibbeh Meqliyeh:

Kibbeh Dough

1 to 12. Measure 750 g fine white bulgur wheat, and rinse it in three changes of water.

13, 14. Put rinsed bulgur wheat in a bowl.

15, 16. Cut 4 medium red onion into quarters.

17. Add onion quarters to bulgur.

18, 19, 20. Add 2 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper and 3teaspoons salt to bulgur.

21. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours.

22, 23. Measure 330 g fat free ground lamb meat, and set aside.

24. The Bulgur mixture and the meat will form kibbeh dough.

25,26. Attach the fine holed plate to the meat grinder.

27 to 34. To the grinder, add bulgur and onion quarters, and grind.

35, 360. Knead the dough to bring together.

37, 38, 39, 40. Add the 330 g fat free ground lamb meat to the dough, and knead to bring together.

41 to 48. Form the dough into small logs, and grind.

49, 50, 51, 52. Knead the dough to bring together.

53, 54, 55, 56. If kibbeh dough is not used at same day, make holes inside the dough, it allows dough to breathe and store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, do not store it more than one day.

Filling

57. Line a plate with paper towels.

65, 66. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee.

67, 68, 69. Add 75 g pine nuts and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside on paper towels.

70, 71, 72. To same ghee, add 125 g chopped walnuts and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside on paper towels.

65, 66. Peel and quarter onions.

67, 68. Use food processor and pulse 4 to 7 times until onion is finely chopped.

69, 70, 71. Measure 300 g chopped onion.

73, 74. Rinse chopped onion in several changes of water, and put in a strainer.

75. Add 1 teaspoon salt to chopped onion.

76. Set chopped onion aside for 10 minutes to drain.

77, 78, 70. Press chopped onion to get rid of excess water.

80. In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons ghee.

81 to 87. Add chopped onion to ghee and stir to soften.

88. Set onion aside.

89, 90, 91. In a deep pot, heat 2 tablespoons ghee.

93, 94, 95, 96. Add 625 g fat free ground lamb meat to ghee.

97, 98, 99, 100. Brown the meat.

101, 102, 103, 104. Add chopped onion to meat and stir.

105, 106, 107, 108. Season the meat with 2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper.

109 to 116. Add nuts to meat, stir and transfer into a plate and set aside to slightly cool.

Making Kibbeh

117, 118, 119. Bring kibbeh dough and knead. Divide it into balls, each ball equals to 20 grams.

120. Bring the filling (meat mixture).

Kibbeh Meqliyeh has two shapes: Kibbeh Aqras and Kibbeh Saiyyah, both of them made of same kibbeh dough and the filling but differs in shape.

Kibbeh Aqras

Kibbeh Aqras is round kibbeh, a specialty of Hama. Singular Qeres, Plural Aqras. It consists of two layers of kibbeh dough and the filling inside them.

121. Bring a bowl of salted water, 200 ml water with 2 tablespoons salt.

122, 123, 124. Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work.

125 to 131. Move your fingers clockwise to flatten the kibbeh ball into a shell that have edges with 2.3 inch (6 cm) diameter and about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick.

132. Take another kibbeh ball and do the same.

133, 134. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a heaped teaspoon of filling. It should be pretty full.

135, 136. Bring the second shell and put it over the first shell and close.

137 to 144. Moisten edges of opening and seal them. This shape is Qeres.

145, 146, 147. Repeat the process with all the pieces.

148. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth.

Kibbeh Aqras (Filling with Parsley and Pomegranate Arils)

Kibbeh is also made with the same filling but with a twist.

149, 150, 151, 152. Take 75 g of the filling, add 5 teaspoons chopped parsley and 5 teaspoons pomegranate arils and stir.

153. Bring a bowl of salted water, 200 ml water with 2 tablespoons salt.

154, 155, 15. Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work.

157 to 163. Move your fingers clockwise to flatten the kibbeh ball into a shell that have edges with 2.3 inch (6 cm) diameter and and about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick.

164. Take another kibbeh ball and do the same.

165, 166. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a heaped teaspoon of filling which has parsley and pomegranate arils. It should be pretty full.

167, 168. Bring the second shell and put it over the first shell and close.

169 to 176. Moisten edges of opening and seal them.

177, 178, 179. Repeat the process with all the pieces. Put some chopped parsely on the surface to distinguish it from the first one.

180. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth.

Kibbeh Aramel

Aramel means widows, it is kibbeh dough without filling.

181. Take kibbeh ball, flatten and shape into circle only. Put in the plate and keep covered with damp cloth.

Kibbeh Saiyyah

Saiyyah means Spinning Top, the name Saiyyah is a specialty of Hama. Plural Saiyyahat.

186, 187, 188. Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work.

189 to 196. Hold the ball in one hand and insert index finger of other hand into center to form a hole. Gradually enlarge the opening and shape into a thin-walled shell about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick. Mend any cracks in shell with a moistened finger.

197, 198, 199, 200. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a teaspoon of filling. It should be pretty full, but with enough room to close it.

201 to 208. Moisten edges of opening. Bring the opening together, making a point at top and bottom and seal them.

209, 210. This shape is Saiyyah.

211. Repeat the process with all the pieces.

212. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth.

213, 214. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth.

215, 216. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.

217, 218, 219, 220. Fill a deep pot with a mixture of 1400 ml corn oil plus 200 ml olive oil.

221, 222, 223, 224. Heat oil until it reaches 325 °F (162 °C). You can test it with cooking thermometer or by throwing a piece of bread in to see if it sizzles.

225 to 248. Fry kibbeh in batches. Turn occasionally when kibbeh start to float on the surface of the oil. Fry until the outer shell is dark golden brown and cooked through. Drain fried kibbeh on paper towels.

249, 250, 251, 252. Transfer kibbeh to serving plate.

253. Serve kibbeh hot with salads: Salatet Khudar ( prepared from tomato, cucumber, lettuce, mint, onion, lemon juice, olive oil and salt), Salatet Malfouf (prepared from chopped cabbage, ground Aleppo pepper, dried mint, cumin, crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil), and laban ‘ayran (yogurt diluted with water and seasoned with salt.

Kibbeh Meqliyeh

From: Family Recipe / Servings: 5 – 6 People
PDF Text Only / Print With Images

Kibbeh Dough 750 fine white bulgur wheat 4 medium red onions, cut into quarters 2 1/2 tsp ground Aleppo Pepper 3 tsp salt 330 g fat free ground lamb meat Filling 1 tbsp ghee, for nuts 75 g pine nuts 125 g chopped walnut, chopped into medium pieces 300 g chopped red onion 1 tsp salt, for onion 2 tsp ghee, for onion 2 tbsp ghee, for meat 625 g fat free ground lamb meat 2 tsp salt 3/4 tsp black pepper Filling with Parsley and Pomegranate Arils 75 g meat mixture 5 tsp finely chopped flat parsley leaves 5 tsp pomegranate arils Making Kibbeh Salted water, 200 ml water with 2 tbsp salt Frying 1400 ml corn oil 200 ml olive oil To Serve Salad Laban ‘ayran (yogurt drink)

Kibbeh Dough Measure 750 g fine white bulgur wheat, and rinse it in three changes of water. Put rinsed bulgur wheat in a bowl. Cut 4 medium red onion into quarters. Add 2 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper and 3 teaspoons salt to bulgur. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours. Measure 330 g fat free ground lamb meat, and set aside. The Bulgur mixture and the meat will form kibbeh dough. Attach the fine holed plate to the meat grinder. To the grinder, add bulgur and onion quarters, and grind. Knead the dough to bring together. Add the 330 g fat free ground lamb meat to the dough, and knead to bring together. Form the dough into small logs, and grind. Knead the dough to bring together. If kibbeh dough is not used at same day, make holes inside the dough, it allows dough to breathe and store and store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap, do not store it more than one day. Filling Line a plate with paper towels In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee. Add 75 g pine nuts and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside on paper towels. To same ghee, add 125 g chopped walnuts and fry until golden brown in color, and set aside on paper towels. Peel and quarter onions. Use food processor and pulse 4 to 7 times until onion is finely chopped. Measure 300 g chopped onion. Rinse chopped onion in several changes of water, and put in a strainer. Add 1 teaspoon salt to chopped onion. Set chopped onion aside for 10 minutes to drain. Press chopped onion to get rid of excess water. In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons ghee. Add chopped onion to ghee and stir to soften. Set onion aside. In a deep pot, heat 2 tablespoons ghee. Add 625 g fat free ground lamb meat to ghee. Brown the meat. Add chopped onion to meat and stir. Season the meat with 2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add nuts to meat, stir and transfer into a plate and set aside to slightly cool. Making Kibbeh Bring kibbeh dough and knead. Divide it into balls, each ball equals to 20 grams. Bring the filling (meat mixture). Kibbeh Meqliyeh has two shapes: Kibbeh Aqras and Kibbeh Saiyyah, both of them made of same kibbeh dough and the filling but differs in shape. Kibbeh Aqras Kibbeh Aqras is round kibbeh, a specialty of Hama. Singular Qeres, Plural Aqras. It consists of two layers of kibbeh dough and the filling inside them. Bring a bowl of salted water, 200 ml water with 2 tablespoons salt. Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work. Move your fingers clockwise to flatten the kibbeh ball into a shell that have edges with 2.3 inch (6 cm) diameter and about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick. Take another kibbeh ball and do the same. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a heaped teaspoon of filling. It should be pretty full. Bring the second shell and put it over the first shell and close. Moisten edges of opening and seal them. This shape is Qeres. Repeat the process with all the pieces. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth. Kibbeh Aqras (Filling with Parsley and Pomegranate Arils) Kibbeh is also made with the same filling but with a twist. Take 75 g of the filling, add 5 teaspoons chopped parsley and 5 teaspoons pomegranate arils and stir. Bring a bowl of salted water, 200 ml water with 2 tablespoons salt. Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work. Move your fingers clockwise to flatten the kibbeh ball into a shell that have edges with 2.3 inch (6 cm) diameter and about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick. Take another kibbeh ball and do the same. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a heaped teaspoon of filling which has parsley and pomegranate arils. It should be pretty full. Bring the second shell and put it over the first shell and close. Moisten edges of opening and seal them. Repeat the process with all the pieces. Put some chopped parsley on the surface to distinguish it from the first one. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth. Kibbeh Aramel Aramel means widows, it is kibbeh dough without filling. Take kibbeh ball, flatten and shape into circle only. Put in the plate and keep covered with damp cloth. Kibbeh Saiyyah Saiyyah means Spinning Top, the name Saiyyah is a specialty of Hama. Plural Saiyyahat. A Take one kibbeh ball, moistening your hands with water as you work. Hold the ball in one hand and insert index finger of other hand into center to form a hole. Gradually enlarge the opening and shape into a thin-walled shell about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick. Mend any cracks in shell with a moistened finger. Once its right thickness, spoon in about a teaspoon of filling. It should be pretty full, but with enough room on to close it. Moisten edges of opening. Bring the opening together, making a point at top and bottom and seal them. Repeat the process with all the pieces. Keep Kibbeh covered with a damp cloth. Either you may fry it immediately or it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few hours but should be also kept covered with a damp cloth. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Fill a deep pot with a mixture of 1400 ml corn oil plus 200 ml olive oil. Heat oil until it reaches 325 °F (162 °C). You can test it with cooking thermometer or by throwing a piece of bread in to see if it sizzles. Fry kibbeh in batches. Turn occasionally when kibbeh start to float on the surface of the oil. Fry until the outer shell is dark golden brown and cooked through. Drain fried kibbeh on paper towels. Transfer kibbeh to serving plate. Serve kibbeh hot with salads: Salatet Khudar ( prepared from tomato, cucumber, lettuce, mint, onion, lemon juice, olive oil and salt), Salatet Malfouf (prepared from chopped cabbage, ground Aleppo pepper, dried mint, cumin, crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil), and laban ‘ayran (yogurt diluted with water and seasoned with salt.

Notes and Tips

Each kind and brand of bulgur behaves differently, some kinds need water for soaking, other kinds do not need water. I didn’t add water to bulgur for soaking and didn’t add water when grind it. Kibbeh dough should be uniform, easy to handle, not too sticky. This is something needs practice until you know the best type of bulgur and to make perfect kibbeh.

Here is a photo of ground Aleppo pepper, and click here to know more about it.

Kibbeh can be frozen. Put prepared kibbeh in a plate in single layer in the freezer; do not stack them over each other. Do not thaw before frying.

Check another shape of deep fried kibbeh, Kibbeh Darawish that is a specialty of Aleppo.

Check my videos:
Making Kibbeh Dough
Making Kibbeh Meqliyeh

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 at 11:24 PM and is filed under Syrian Cooking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.