NPR News

Kibbe Balls

NPR

Published January 30, 2008 at 6:32 PM EST

Ingredients

4 cups kibbi lahem (raw kibbe or kibbe nayye)

Grind wheat and meat mixture in food chopper once or twice.

Hashwa (kibbe stuffing)

Bowl of ice water

1 teaspoon salt

Shape small amount of raw kibbe like a football about 2 inches long, or oval-shaped, by rolling between palms of hands. Hollow by pushing finger in one end of kibbe ball and pressing inside walls toward palm of hand. Place 1 teaspoonful of kibbe stuffing in open end and close gently by smoothing over. It is very important to dip hands in ice water with a little salt while working with the kibbe balls.

Hashwah (Kibbe Stuffing)

Ingredients

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup rendered butter or 1/4 lb. creamery butter

1 lb. chili ground lean beef or lamb

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 teaspoon allspice (optional)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 cup pine nuts

Sautee onions in butter on low fire until wilted. Add ground meat, spices and salt to onions and cook covered over slow fire until all moisture is gone and meat is tender. Stir occasionally. If meat is not tender enough, add 1/2 cup water and continue cooking until meat is done and moisture gone. Add pine nuts. Cool before using. This can be kept covered in a plastic container in the refrigerator for one week or more until needed, or frozen.

Variations: Add juice of one lemon along with spices and salt to ground meat and onion mixture. Or, seeds from one or more pomegranates may be added with pine nuts.