Arabian Meatballs

Arabian meatballs made from ground lamb should have a thin outer layer and a flavorful, juicy center. In the Middle East, a cooks skill is judged by their kubba, just as in Korea, chefs are judged by how well they prepare kimchi. Kubba is also known as kibbe, kibbeh, or kobeba. Preparation requires some skill, but practice makes perfect.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 50 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 25 minutes
  • Difficulty: 3
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

Filling

  • 2 spoons Oil, vegetable oil, canola

  • 1 piece Onion, raw

  • 150 g Meat, lamb, back

  • 2 pinch Salt, table

  • 1 pinch Spices, pepper, black

  • 0.5 teaspoons Spices, cinnamon, ground

  • 0.5 teaspoons Spices, cardamom

  • 1 bouquet Parsley, fresh

  • 0.25 cups Nuts, pine nuts, dried

  • pieces Oil, vegetable oil, canola

Wrapper

  • 0.5 cups Bulgur

  • 1 piece Onion, raw

  • 230 g Meat, lamb, back

  • 0.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 1 pinch Spices, pepper, black

  • 1 teaspoon Spices, cumin, seeds

  • 0.5 teaspoons Spices, cardamom

Steps

  1. Prepare the coating mixture for the meatballs: soak the bulgur in cold salted water for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, drain the excess water and squeeze the bulgur as much as possible. Peel the onion, wash it, cut it into quarters, and blend it in a food processor. Add the meat, salt, pepper, and spices, and blend until you get a soft meat paste. Add the bulgur and blend until you get a uniform mixture. Store the prepared mixture in the refrigerator until use.

  2. Prepare the filling. Wash the parsley, shake it dry, and finely chop it. Peel the onion, wash it, and finely chop it. Place a pan with a spoon of oil on the stove and sauté the onion just until it softens slightly. Add the meat. Break it up with a spatula and stir constantly while cooking. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom. Finally, mix in the pine nuts and parsley. Remove the pan from the heat and let the meat cool slightly.

  3. Start making the meatballs. Keep your hands moist with cold water while working. With your left hand, take a portion of the coating mixture the size of a small egg. Use your right index finger to make an indentation in it. Enlarge the indentation with your fingers and shape the mixture into an oval shell with thin walls. Fill the shell with a spoonful of filling and close it to form a ball where the meat filling is surrounded by the bulgur mixture.

  4. Store the prepared meatballs in the refrigerator until use. In a deep pan or fryer, fry the meatballs in oil heated to 190 °C until they turn golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried kubba from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess fat. Arrange them on plates and serve with pita bread and various sauces.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 236.08 kcal
  • Fat: 15.02 g
    • Saturated Fat: 4.42 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.01 g
    • Sugars: 1.01 g
  • Protein: 9.97 g
  • Fiber: 2.78 g

Advice

The meatballs can be eaten warm or cold. There are several varieties. Usually, kubba with a bulgur coating is fried, but they can also have a breadcrumb coating and be boiled like dumplings.