Try with me the best kibbeh Balls! Mediterranean meatballs are a very popular dish in the Mediterranean cuisine. It was one of my late father’s signature dishes. He was always craving for kibbeh. He had elevated the dish with additional herbs and made it a dish hard to resist. As a child, I spent my evenings with him learning how to cook authentic and healthy dishes. Kibbeh was the last dish I cooked for him and will always remain a bittersweet memory in my heart. The word kibbeh derives from Arabic and it means balls. Depending on the Arabic country, the pronunciation could be kibbeh or Kubba. Kibbeh’s main ingredients are bulgur and finely ground lean beef. Yet, some people like combining lean beef meat with lamb meat. My advice is to stick always to beef for healthier reasons. Kibbeh can be shaped like balls or patties. It can be made in the oven, fried, or served raw. It could also be cooked in a special yogurt sauce. If you are vegetarian, you can replace the meat with boiled potatoes and it will be as tasty as the one made with meat
2 ½ cups fine bulgur 2 leaves basil 5 leaves mint ½ teaspoon lemon zest ½ teaspoon orange zest 1 onion shallot 2 sprigs green spring onion known also as scallion 1-pound ground lean beef meat
½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin ½ teaspoon cinnamon 4 dried edible rosebuds ½ teaspoon dried basil ½ teaspoon dried marjoram 2 black peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon black pepper A dash of all spices ½ teaspoon kibbeh spices Mix together and use the desired amount and store the rest in an airtight container for multiple uses ½ teaspoon cardamom
Take a ping pong sized amount of the kibbeh dough mixture and form it into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making space for filling. Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. This recipe will make about 25 medium-sized kibbehs. Fry in preheated oil at 350 ° F or 177 °C on a deep fryer or pan for about 6 minutes or until golden brown.
Kibbeh can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container, for up to 3 months. Avoid frying before freezing. Put it on a tray in the oven at 320°F or 160°C for up to 5 minutes. Let it cool, then place in a container and freeze.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Always store at 45 °F to 55°F or 7°C to 12.8°C
You can get food poisoning from any product when surfaces are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, from mixing meat products with vegetables or using contaminates utensils (cross-contamination). Food can be also contaminated if the one who is handling food does not wash their hands properly. Carriers of Hepatitis A, staphylococcus aureus, or other pathogens also can contaminate food.
Bulgur may be contaminated with Aflatoxins- Aflatoxins do pose a serious health risk to humans, such as cancer. Two closely related species of fungi are mainly responsible for producing the aflatoxins of public health significance: Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Bulgur also can be contaminated with Bacillus cereus spore-forming bacterium
Notable onion pathogens of importance are the gray mold fungi, Botrytis species; The black mold fungi, Aspergillus species; The blue mold fungi, Penicillium species; bacterial rot, Erwinia species; bacterial rot, Pseudomonas species.
The most important foodborne bacteria associated with meat are Salmonella species, Staphylococcus aureus (transmitted from the person handling food), Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringes, Yersinia enterocolitica.
I am a health professional and cancer survivor. Join me to share your experience and receive the latest information in health science.
Sali
Health Professional & Cancer Survivor & Blogger
Canceravenue Health News & Recipes Right to Your Inbox