Vegetarian Kebbeh

[ënagualí~ᏉLAᗪἇ ኔጡ።]

Vegetarian Kebbeh

Kibbeh, a form of the Arabic word kubbah or "ball," is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Made out of lamb or beef, these football-shaped croquettes are a flavorful blend of fragrant herbs and spices, filling meat, and hearty bulgur wheat.

Delicious as an appetizer or side dish, the hearty zeppelins are wonderful when served with hummus, khyar bi laban (a yogurt-cucumber salad), pita bread, and labneh (strained yogurt). ...

but this recipe is for a vegetarian version..no meat in these ones...

For the Bulgur:

1/2 pound bulgur
3 cups cold water
For the internal Preparations:

2 medium onions, 1 finely chopped, 1 coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold steamed pumpkin cooked with 1 carrot lightly mashed with a fork

1 1/2 cups of red potatoe cooked lightly mashed with a fork

1 cup frozen peas 
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, optional
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Vegetable oil, for frying
Lemon wedges, garnish

In a medium bowl, place the bulgur wheat and add the cold water. Let it soak for 30 minutes.

Remove excess water by placing the bulgur in a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel and thoroughly squeezing. Reserve.

In a medium bowl, mix the coarsely chopped onion with 1 pound of the pumpkin, the soaked bulgur, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Stir well to combine.

Process the mixture in batches in a food processor: Pulse, then process to a sticky, smooth, dough-like consistency, adding some ice as needed to help break down the meat. Repeat the procedure until all the mixture has been processed. Reserve, covered.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the finely chopped onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining pound of pumpkin and the pine nuts, until well combined. Add the allspice, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the cumin and stir well.

Using damp hands, take an egg-sized amount of raw and fine meat mixture and form it into a ball. Using your index finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a pocket for the filling. Add some cooked filling and pinch the top to seal the ball.

Note: This recipe will yield 25 small-sized kibbeh—about 1 1/4-ounce dough plus 1/2-ounce of filling—so be mindful of how much filling you use when stuffing the dough.

Shape it into a ball, or pinch the ends to form a little football.

In a deep frying pan or deep-fryer, add 4 cups of oil and heat to 350 F.

Fry the kibbeh in batches until golden brown and crunchy, or about 5 minutes. Be mindful of not overcrowding the pan so the balls cook evenly.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot or warm.

Footnote:-

Fried kibbeh can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a 350 F oven, fan on, for 15 minutes.

Un-fried kibbeh can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight and fry according to instructions.