Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 12 balls
Ingredients:
Kibbi:
- 1 ½ cup (360 ml) bulgur, soaked overnight in cold water
- 1 onion, grated
- ¾ lb (340 g) ground lean lamb
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) allspice
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried mint
Filling:
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- ½ lb (226 g) lean ground lamb
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) allspice
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sumac
- Salt, for seasoning
- Olive oil, for frying
Cilantro yoghurt sauce:
- 2 cups (480 ml) full-fat plain yoghurt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried mint
- ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) fresh ground black pepper
Method:
Drain the bulgur wheat from soaking overnight.
Working in batches, use your hands to squeeze the bulgur wheat to remove excess water.
In a large bowl, add bulgur wheat, onion, lamb, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice and dried mint.
Knead mixture together with your hands vigorously until everything is very well combined.
Put mixture in food processor until consistency is fine.
Toast pine nuts in skillet until golden brown.
Add oil to large skillet and heat over medium-high.
Add ground lamb and sauté until cooked through.
Add onions and spices cook until onions are soft.
Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the yoghurt sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
To make the kibbi balls, take some of the kibbi and roll into a ball roughly the size of a golf ball.
Using your index finger, make a hole in the kibbi, then rotate the ball in your hand while your finger continues to make the hole larger.
Put stuffing into the hole, then close the open end.
Dip your fingers in water and then work the kibbi balls into an oval shape with tapered ends.
Once all balls are formed, heat olive oil 2-inches (5 cm) deep in a skillet to 375 F (190 C).
Fry, rotating, until all sides are a deep golden brown.
Remove from oil using tongs or a spider and place on a paper-towel lined plate.
Serve with yoghurt sauce.