Monk's Kibbeh, or Trick Kibbeh, with Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine bulgur
• 1 cup flour
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• A handful of chopped parsley
• A pinch of ground cumin
• A pinch of black pepper
• A pinch of mixed spice
• Salt
• A pinch of paprika
• Water, as needed
• The soup:
• 2 cups brown or green lentils
• Any kind of legumes, as desired - optional
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• Juice of a bitter orange or sour orange (called "abu seifir" in Lebanese) - optional
• This delicious recipe is from the friend of the Shou Tabkhin Today site:
• Sana Qaddour
• For more of Sana's recipes, click on her name to visit her personal page on our site
• Also from Sana's delicious recipes, here is Green Squash with Tomatoes

Method

1. Boil one cup of fine bulgur and skim any foam from the surface
2. Turn off the heat.. leave only a little water over the bulgur after it cooks.. add one cup of flour and set aside until the flour absorbs the liquids
3. Mash 3 cloves of garlic, finely chop a small onion, and chop the parsley; add them to the bulgur and flour.. add spices and salt as well and knead everything well, adding water gradually if needed.. until you obtain a smooth, soft dough
4. Shape it into small balls
5. In a pot over the heat... cook the lentils by covering them well with water... and let them boil until fully tender
6. When the lentils are cooked.. add the dough balls, then finely chop a large onion.... sauté it in olive oil until it takes color, then add it to the soup with the dough balls, adjust the salt, and let the soup boil until the balls are cooked
7. Finally add lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and "Abu Safir" orange juice and stir
8. Turn off the heat and serve Monk's Kibbeh with lentil soup immediately, hot or cold
9. Sana Qaddour
10. Also from Sana's tasty recipes, here is the green squash with tomatoes