Kibbeh Labaniyeh

Method

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1. Soak the bulgur 15 minutes, drain and squeeze dry. Work it with the lamb, onion, allspice, salt and ice water to a smooth paste.

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2. Roll into walnut-sized balls with wet hands, sealing any cracks. Set aside.

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3. Whisk the yogurt, egg white, cornflour, water and salt in a heavy pan until completely smooth with no lumps of cornflour.

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4. Set over medium heat and stir constantly in one direction with a wooden spoon until it comes to a gentle simmer. This takes about 10 minutes and you must not stop.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

5. Simmer 3 minutes more, still stirring. The sauce is now stable and will not split.

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6. Lower the kibbeh balls in one at a time and simmer very gently 20 minutes, moving the pan rather than stirring, until they are cooked through.

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7. Fry the garlic in the oil for 40 seconds, take off the heat, stir in the dried mint, and pour the lot over the pan. Serve with rice.

   Mark done Start 40 sec timer

Chef’s Tips

• Stir in one direction, without stopping, until it simmers.
• The cornflour and egg white are what stop it splitting. Do not omit them.
• Move the pan instead of stirring once the kibbeh are in.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried mint at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Plain rice
• Toasted flatbread
• A cucumber salad

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Rewarm gently over low heat, stirring; it will not survive a hard boil. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.