Sour Bulgur Kibbeh

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine bulgur
• 2 garlic cloves
• Dried mint
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup sweet or hot pepper molasses
• 1 dried onion
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
• Paprika
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• Lemon cut into pieces for rubbing the bulgur

Method

1. Soak the fine bulgur in a little water, just enough to soften it without the grains opening up. The bulgur should not absorb too much water, because we will add plenty of liquids later.
2. Grate the dried onion, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt, and leave it in a colander to drain, then squeeze it well before adding it to the bulgur.
3. After a short while, drain the bulgur and squeeze it very well. Then add all the ingredients: the spices, salt, pepper molasses, tomato sauce, oil, dried mint, very finely grated onion, and crushed garlic.
4. Cut the lemon into 4 pieces and start rubbing the mixture with the lemon while squeezing the pieces at the same time.
5. After rubbing well with the lemon, discard the lemon peel and start kneading the bulgur well until the grains break down nicely.
6. Add a drizzle of olive oil and knead again until the mixture comes together.
7. Place the sour bulgur kibbeh in the refrigerator for 1 hour so it chills and firms up well.
   Timers: 60 min
8. After removing it from the refrigerator, if it does not feel firm enough to shape, add a small splash of water and knead again until you get a soft but cohesive dough that is easy to shape like meat kibbeh.
9. Shape it like kibbeh using the palm of your hand and arrange the pieces on lettuce leaves with lemon wedges.
10. Eat it with lettuce leaves and serve with green onions. You can also drizzle with pomegranate molasses or lemon juice while eating.
11. For more delicious appetizers, here is How to Make Syrian Muhammara
12. For more bulgur dishes, here is Bulgur Badfin