For the Kibbe filling:

• 500 g minced lamb meat
• 2-3 onions chopped
• 1 tsp 7 Spices (found in middle eastern shops)
• 5 tbsp Kibbeh Spices (found in middle eastern shops)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 2 tbsp sumac

For the Kibbeh casing:

• 1 kilo fine bulgur wheat
• 1 kilo minced beef meat
• 2 onions
• 5 tbsp Kibbeh Spices
• 5 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tsp 7 Spices
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• Sunflower or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Soak the bulgur wheat in enough water to cover and set aside.
2. To make the filling, sauté the chopped onions in regular olive oil until golden on medium low heat.
3. Add 500 gr of minced lamb meat to the onions and cook out the meat on medium high heat.
4. Add the 7 Spices, kamouneh spices, black pepper and salt and use the back of your wooden spoon to break up the meat.
5. When it is cooked turn off the heat and add the sumac and pine nuts. 
6. Drain the bulgur wheat and add to a large bowl. Take out the kilo of beef and prepare food processor.
7. In several batches, add the bulgur wheat and equal amounts of meat to the food processor and process until it clumps together and starts to roll in the processor bowl.
8. Roughly chop 2 onions to go in the food processor along with the 7 Spices, kamouneh spices, black pepper and salt. Blitz well.
9. When you have combined all the meat and bulgur wheat in a bowl, add the blitzed onion spice mix and the corn flour, then bring everything together preferably with your hands.
10. If it is too dry add a bit of water, you don't want it too loose, sticky or crumbly but so it holds together nicely. If you don't mind tasting a bit of raw meat check a tiny bit for saltiness and adjust as necessary.
11. Add approximately half a cup of sunflower to a small bowl which you can dip your fingers into when shaping the kibbeh to avoid sticking. Clean your table and arrange a workflow with a large clean tray, the sunflower oil, the filling and the casing mix.
12. Take some casing and roll into golf ball size, indent the middle then hollow out the inside with your index finger turning as you do so until you have a half shell. Add a spoon of filling and close up the casing. Compress well with your hands and shape into classic kibbeh morsels.
13. Line up the kibbeh on the tray allowing to rest until you finish the filling.
14. Deep fry your kibbeh morsels in sunflower or vegetable oil.

 * Chef Fahd Kassem meets KAKURU in a collaboration for Limited Genno.