Beef Kibbeh Balls

Kibbeh in yogurt sauce

For the laban yogurt sauce:

  • ▢handful fresh cilantro or coriander, finely chopped
  • ▢6 garlic cloves, minced
  • ▢4 cups full fat yogurt see notes, 1000 g or 2 lb
  • ▢1 egg
  • ▢1 heaped tbsp cornstarch cornflour (2 tablespoon if you want a thicker sauce)
  • ▢1 teaspoon salt

For the kibbeh:

  • ▢20-24 pieces ready Layla’s frozen kibbeh, no need to thaw
  • ▢2 tablespoon vegetable oil

To garnish:

  • ▢toasted pine nuts or almond slivers
  • ▢handful chopped cilantro or coriander

Instructions

For the yogurt sauce:

  • Heat a small skillet over medium high heat, and sauté the chopped coriander and crushed garlic with a pinch of salt until the garlic has just turned golden. Set aside.
  • Mix the cornstarch with just a splash of cold water to create a paste.
  • Using a blender or immersion blender, blend together the yogurt, the egg, the cornstarch paste, and the salt until well combined.
  • Pour yogurt mixture into a heavy saucepan over medium heat and immediately start whisking. Keep whisking and don’t stop or the sauce will separate. After 8-10 minutes or so, the sauce will begin to boil and as soon as that happens take it off the stove.
  • Add the fried garlic and coriander mix, stir and taste for seasoning.

For the kibbeh:

  • Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet then place frozen kibbeh onto the baking sheet, no need to defrost. Drizzle with additional oil and toss to combine. Bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning over halfway through.

To assemble:

  • I like to add the kibbeh to the yogurt sauce just before eating, because I still like the kibbeh to be a little crispy. Traditionally, you’d add it to the yogurt sauce and heat for a few minutes to let the kibbeh get a little soft, so do whichever you prefer!
  • Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and toasted pine nuts or almonds, see notes. Serve with Egyptian rice or vermicelli rice, recipe linked in the notes below.

Lebanese Green Salad

Ingredients 

For the salad:

  • ▢8 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce
  • ▢1 large tomato, coarsely diced, or 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • ▢2 Persian cucumbers, cut in wedges
  • ▢1/2 small red onion or vidalia onion, thinly sliced
  • ▢10 leaves fresh mint, chopped

For the vinaigrette:

Instructions 

  • In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, onion, and fresh mint.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dried mint, and olive oil until combined and emulsified. Pour over the salad, toss to coat evenly, and serve.

Lebanese Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

Ingredients

  • ▢1 cup Whole Milk Yogurt or Low Fat Yogurt
  • ▢2 Mini Cucumbers
  • ▢2 cloves Garlic
  • ▢½ Salt
  • ▢1 tsp. Dried Mint
  • ▢⅓ cup Water

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the salt over the garlic cloves and crush using a mortar and pestle.
  • Wash and chop the mini cucumbers.
  • Add the yogurt, garlic and water in a medium-sized bowl and whisk thoroughly.
  • Add the chopped cucumber and mix well.
  • Sprinkle with the dried mint and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Kibbeh With Tomato Sauce

The Soup: 

  • 1 onion, finely chopped 
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
  • 500 grams stewed chopped tomato 
  • 1 liter water 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • 1/2 lemon juice 
  • 200 grams spinach 
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

METHOD: 

* For the sauce, sauté the onion and tomato paste in the vegetable oil then add the stewed tomatoes and the water. Cook uncovered on medium heat for about 15 minutes. When thickened add the juice of half a lemon. 

* Bring the sauce back to a boil and drop the kibbeh.

* Add enough boiling water to cover the kibbeh if the sauce is too thick and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. 

* Add the fresh spinach at the end and cook just enough to wilt the spinach. 

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