Kibbeh Labanieh

Step 1

Soak the bulgur wheat in enough water to cover and set aside

Step 2

To make the filling, sauté the chopped onions in regular olive oil until golden on medium low heat

Step 3

Add 250g of minced meat to the onions and cook out the meat on medium high heat

Step 4

Add the 7 spice, kamouneh spices, black pepper and salt and use the back of your wooden spoon to break up the meat

Step 5

When it is cooked turn off the heat and add the sumac and pine nuts. Taste to make any adjustments then cover and set aside

Step 6

Drain the bulgur wheat and add to a large bowl. Take out the half kilo of meat and prepare the food processor

Step 7

In several batches, add the bulgur wheat and equal amounts of meat to the food processor and process until it clumps together and starts to roll in the processor bowl.

Step 8

Roughly chop onions to go in the food processor along with the 7 spices, kamouneh spices, black pepper and salt. Blitz well

Step 9

When you have combined all the meat and bulgur wheat in a bowl, add the blitzed onion spice mix and the cornflour, then bring everything together preferably with your hands

Step 10

If it is too dry add a bit of water, you don’t want it too loose, sticky or crumbly but so it holds together nicely. If you don’t mind tasting a bit of raw meat check a tiny bit for saltiness and adjust as necessary

Step 11

Add approx half a cup of sunflower to a small bowl which you can dip your fingers into when shaping the kibbeh to avoid sticking. Clean your table and arrange a workflow with a large clean tray, the sunflower oil, the filling and the casing mix

Step 12

Take some casing and roll into golf ball size, indent the middle then hollow out the inside with your index finger turning as you do so until you have a half shell. Add a spoon of filling and close up the casing. Compress well with your hands and shape into classic kibbeh shape

Step 13

Soak the rice in water for about 20 minutes

Step 14

Rinse the rice under the tap until the water runs clear. Then add the rice to 1.5 cups of boiling water and simmer until cooked (approx 20 minutes)

Step 15

Add the cornflour and salt to the yoghurt, stir well then press through a fine sieve over the rice

Step 16

Raise the heat to a medium high and keep stirring so the bottom doesn’t burn, bring to the boil then lower the heat and keep on a low simmer

Step 17

Meanwhile, put around ten kibbeh balls into an oven at 180 °C fan and half cook them for about 15 minutes so the outside just turns slightly golden but not well done

Step 18

Add the kibbeh to the yoghurt sauce and keep simmering for another ten minutes

Step 19

In a separate small pan, sauté the garlic and coriander in the butter for a few minutes then add to the yoghurt sauce along with a pinch of dried mint, stir well and adjust the salt if necessary before turning off the heat

Step 20

Serve either hot or cold