Kibbeh – Iraqi dumplings
Ingredients:
Meat:
1 1/2 c semolina
1c water
1 c lean ground beef
1 tsp. lime zest
salt and pepper
flour, for dusting
Sauce:
1 Tbsp. or more, olive oil
1 onion, thinly chopped
2 gloves garlic, mashed
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
1.Put semolina in a bowl and with a little salt and pour enough water over it to cover. Knead semolina till it becomes doughy.
2. In a separate bowl mix the ground beef, onion, and dried lime powder. Add salt and pepper and knead it till it is evenly combined.
3. After combining the meat mix mixture, wash your hands and dry them thoroughly and dust them with flour. Take about a walnut size of semolina mixture and roll it into a ball then flatten it. Take 1 tsp. size of meat mixture and place it in the center. Fold the semolina over the meat mixture and shape into a meatball. Set aside. Keep repeating this step with the remaining semolina-meat mixture.
4. To make the sauce, in a saucepan pan, heat the olive oil stir in the onion. When it becomes translucent, add the garlic and zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add oil if onions and garlic start to dry out. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice.
5. Add 4 cups of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper then lower the heat to simmer. Gently add the dumplings to the saucepan.
6. Cover and cook kibbeh for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they begin to float to the top of pan, they are ready. Remove them and set them on a warmed dish. When all the dumplings are ready, transfer them to a serving dish and pour sauce over them .Serve with basmati rice.
Iraqi Resources
