Kebbe Meshweyyeh

Grilled bulgur discs stuffed with a specialty filling of lamb suet (kidney fat) and minced meat. Rich, smokey, and incredibly delicious."

🥄 Ingredients

• 1 kg whole wheat bulgur (white bulgur is good for cooking, not for kebbe)
• 700 g lean beef or veal
• 200 g flour
• 2 large onions (400 g)
• 1/2 tbsp seven-spice mix
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1/4 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Maggi cubes
• Filling:
• 1 kg minced meat
• 1 kg lamb fat (kidney and belly fat only)
• 2 onions (600 g)
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp seven-spice mix
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 250 g walnuts
• 100 grams of toasted pine nuts, if available.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Dough Preparation Method:
2. The basic principle in preparing kebbe dough is simple: add water gradually, never all at once. Pour 3 cups of cold tap water over the bulgur. Slice the onion into wedges and add it to the bulgur. Add the remaining ingredients to the bulgur, except for the lean meat and flour, which will be added later.
3. Let the bulgur soak with the seven-spice blend for at least 2 1 hours, or longer if needed. Grind the bulgur for the first time in a meat grinder, without the lean meat and flour. After the first grinding is complete, mix the ground lean meat with the flour and the ground bulgur. If the dough seems dry, gradually add a little water. Then, grind the bulgur and lean meat together again in the meat grinder until the kebbe has a uniform color. Finally, knead the mixture on a work surface until it is completely smooth.
4. Filling Preparation Method: In Aleppo, they mix all the ingredients together while cold: the fat, the meat, pomegranate molasses, and the seven-spice blend. They stuff the kebbe and then grill it over charcoal.
5. Based on my experience and the prevalence of diseases, I've tried a guaranteed method to prevent anyone from getting sick by eating animal fat that isn't properly cooked on charcoal. This can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and infections—all things we can do without. So, follow these steps and rest assured that your family and guests will be perfectly fine.
6. Grind the fat in a meat grinder. It doesn't have to be fine; the medium-sized grating is sufficient. Place it over heat until it melts completely, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1.5 hour.
7. Prepare the meat as you would for grilled kebbe: first the onions, then the meat. Let it cook for 1.5 hour, then add the seven-spice mix. Now, mix the meat, fat, and nuts together while they're still hot. Let the mixture cool before using.
8. How to flatten a smooth, round kebbe disc easily:
9. Start by cutting the kebbe into fist-sized pieces (about 50 grams each) while they are half-closed. Open a freezer bag to lay it flat in a single layer. Place two pieces of kebbe on the center of one half of the bag and cover them with the other half of the bag. Take a plate with a rounded, defined base (not just a flat one) and press the kebbe down until you have two equal, thin discs.
10. Now, cut a piece of the filling and flatten it slightly into a circle. Place it on top of one of the discs and cover it with the other disc. Start rolling it in your hands, pressing the edges together with your thumb as you roll. This will create a firm disc ready for grilling.

🌹 Decoration

Place lettuce leaves under the kebbe plate and arrange them artistically on top, adding slices of tomato between each kebbe.