Kibbeh in Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 kg plain yogurt
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup short-grain rice (Egyptian rice), rinsed
• Kibbeh dough:
• 2 cups fine bulgur
• 500 g finely minced meat
• Kibbeh filling:
• Minced meat
• Finely chopped onion
• A pinch of seven-spice (baharat)
• A pinch of sumac
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil
• Recipe for kibbeh in yogurt from a friend and cook on Shou Tabkhin Alyawm:
• Fatima Jammoul
• Click Fatima’s name to visit her profile and see all her recipes
• For more yogurt-based dishes try: How to make Shish Barak in Yogurt

Method

1. Start preparing the kibbeh discs... soak the bulgur with a little water for one hour; the water should just cover the surface of the bulgur.
2. After an hour, process the bulgur and finely minced meat in the dedicated machine (meat grinder or food processor) until you get a uniform, cohesive kibbeh dough.
3. Prepare the filling in the meantime: fry the chopped onion in a little oil until softened.
4. Add the meat and stir until the meat is dry.
5. Sprinkle the spices, salt and sumac, stir, then leave to cook until the meat is done.
6. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool.
7. Shape the kibbeh dough into balls—start filling them as soon as they are ready. Make a hole in each ball, fill it, and form them into the familiar kibbeh discs shown in the photo. This requires some skill and practice.
8. Bake the kibbeh discs in the oven until they are half-cooked... this prevents placing raw discs into the yogurt.
9. While waiting for the kibbeh to bake, mix the yogurt, water, and flour well, then strain them through a fine sieve.
10. Add the well-washed, well-drained rice to the mixture and put everything in a pot over medium heat, stirring continuously until it comes to a boil.
11. When the yogurt mixture boils, add the kibbeh discs, reduce the heat, and leave the pot on low heat until the kibbeh are fully cooked, stirring gently every so often.
12. Serve the kibbeh bil laban hot or at room temperature; it can also be chilled in the refrigerator.