Kibbe Stuffed Burgers

Sitto once told me that Kibbe was the dish that Syrian women learned to make first, and I should, too! She often made those “football-shaped” stuffed Kibbe for us, and we really loved them when they were fried.

Today, I have found that younger cooks often find them challenging to make but are still wishing for those traditional flavors. Try this one. Make a burger shape, fill it like the old timers did, take a bite and smile!

KIBBE STUFFED BURGERS
Kibbe Mitleyeh

1/2 Cup Bulgar Wheat, Fine #1

1/2 Lb. Ground Lamb

1 Teaspoon Salt, Or to Taste

1 Teaspoon Syrian Spice Blend (Datah)

1 Yellow Onion (Divided Use

2 Tablespoons of Oil (Divided Use)

1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

1-2 Teaspoons of Tamarind Syrup, Or to Taste

1 Cup of Ice Water

Soak the Bulgar wheat in water to cover for about 10 minutes.

Cut the onion in half and quarter it. Place it along with the ground lamb, salt and spice into a food processor and pulse to a paste.

Pour out the Bulgar into a fine strainer to drain. Then squeeze dry and add it to a large bowl. Add the meat paste to it and mix with your hands to blend. Use ice water to keep the meat from sticking. Cover the kibbe mixture and refrigerate.

Finely chop the other half of the onion.

In a 12” skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the onion and sauté until lightly golden. Then add the nuts and stir to lightly toast them. Turn off the heat and add the Tamarind Syrup and mix to blend. Spoon the mixture into a small bowl and set it aside to cool.

Rinse out the fry pan and dry. Add another tablespoon of oil into it and set aside without heating.

Lay out a sheet of parchment or wax paper on your worksurface. Take the Kibbe mixture out of the refrigerator and form 6 patties, about 4” to 5” round and ¼” thick. Have the cup of ice water handy to keep your hands cold and moist and keep the meat from sticking as you form the patties. Lay them out on the parchment.

Fill the center of 3 of the patties with about a tablespoon or more of the filling, keeping away from the edges. Before you seal them, be sure to see that the filling is equal in all three. Then cover each filled patty and seal the edges, smoothing them out with the ice water and smoothing out the edges.

Heat the oil in the skillet and fry the patties over medium heat to brown them on each side until cooked.

Serve with yogurt or any of the other dressings in this cookbook.

Cook’s Notes: If you prefer Pomegranate Syrup, it may be used in the filling.

Chill the prepared and uncooked patties if they are hard to handle or you are serving them later in the day.