Stuffed Bulgur Kibbeh

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Pastry Filling

1. 1
   Add the onion to some of the canola oil heated in the pan and fry 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStoveFrying pan

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
2. 2
   Raise the heat to medium-high and add the meat. Press it flat over the bottom and leave it for 2–3 minutes without stirring, until a brown crust forms.

   Stove

   💡Brown ground beef in the pot without pressing it: leave it as one 'cake' for a few minutes until a brown crust forms, then break it into chunks. Deep browning = deep flavor.
3. 3
   Break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 5–7 more minutes, stirring, until no pink is left and the meat browns.

   StoveWooden spoon
4. 4
   Add the cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt and black pepper, stir well and cook another 5 minutes.

   Stove
5. 5
   Add the pine nuts and walnuts and mix well.

   💡Pine nuts and other nuts get a deeper flavor when you first toast them 2–3 minutes in a dry pan, until lightly golden.
6. 6
   Remove from the heat and cool the filling completely, about half an hour.

   💡Fill dough only with completely cooled filling: a hot filling softens the dough, makes it hard to seal and makes the pastry soggy inside.

To assemble

1. 7
   Soak the bulgur 15 minutes in the cold water, drain and squeeze well.

   ⚙ SoakingBowl

   💡Soak in plenty of water, well above what's being soaked: legumes and grains swell and drink water, and whatever sticks out stays hard. Drain well before continuing.
2. 8
   Mix the ground meat with the onion, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper until evenly combined.
3. 9
   Add the bulgur to the meat mixture and Knead, into a smooth dough.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer
4. 10
   Take a ball of dough, press a cup into it with your finger, fill with the cold filling and seal well.

   💡Wet your hands with cold water between one kubbeh and the next: the dough doesn't stick, and you can shape a thin, even wall.
5. 11
   Heat the rest of the canola oil in a skillet and fry the kubbeh 4–5 minutes per side.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
6. 12
   Serve with yogurt.