Samaqiya Kibbeh
This is a Syrian samaqiya kibbeh recipe from Chef Omar. The sumac sauce is prepared by soaking whole sumac in water overnight, then boiling and straining it. It is then seasoned with tomato molasses, crushed garlic, mint, black pepper, and salt until thickened. The kibbeh is made with fine bulgur, onion, meat, spices, and water, then kneaded several times and shaped into large balls. The eggplant is boiled, and the kibbeh mixture is boiled with it or beforehand in very hot water with salt. The components are assembled on a platter, topped with sumac sauce, and served hot.
A Syrian kibbeh dish with a sour, herbal sauce called samaqiya.
Like kibbeh served in a tangy stew.
This is a cooked kibbeh recipe; expect shaped bulgur-and-meat dumplings or patties in sauce.
Ingredients
- half a kilo whole sumac
- 5 liters water
- 5 tablespoons tomato molasses
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1½ tablespoons mint
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- eggplant
- 2 tablespoons salt
- meat
- bay leaves
- 2 cups water
- 700 grams fine bulgur
- 1 onion
- 400 grams meat
- ¼ tablespoon black pepper
- ¾ tablespoon salt
- ¼ tablespoon cumin
- ¼ tablespoon mixed spice
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- very hot water
- if the sumac does not provide enough sourness lemon salt
- greens for serving
- radishes for serving
Instructions
- Soak half a kilo of whole sumac in 5 liters of water overnight in a pot or large bowl.
- Place the pot over the heat and boil the sumac for 15 minutes, until it releases its acidity.
- Strain the pot through a sieve into another pot or bowl so that not a single sumac berry passes through.
- In a pot over the heat, boil the meat with bay leaves and 2 cups of water until it comes to a boil.
- Skim the scum from the meat pot with a skimmer as needed.
- Add the salt to the meat pot at the end, then leave it until cooked.
- Add 5 tablespoons tomato molasses, 1 tablespoon crushed garlic, 1½ tablespoons mint, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons salt to the sumac pot.
- Boil the sumac pot with the additions until the mixture thickens.
- Mix 700 grams fine bulgur with 1 onion, 400 grams meat, ¼ tablespoon black pepper, ¾ tablespoon salt, ¼ tablespoon cumin, ¼ tablespoon mixed spice, and 1 cup water in a bowl or kibbeh machine.
- Knead the kibbeh mixture a first time in a bowl or kibbeh machine.
- Knead the kibbeh mixture a second time in a bowl or kibbeh machine.
- Knead the kibbeh mixture a third time in a bowl or kibbeh machine, until the dough is uniform.
- Shape the kibbeh dough into large balls in a bowl or on a tray.
- Peel the eggplant, then cut it into large pieces.
- Boil the kibbeh balls in a pot of very hot water with 1 tablespoon salt.
- Boil the kibbeh balls for 10 minutes.
- Arrange the boiled kibbeh balls on a serving platter.
- Place the boiled or prepared eggplant on the serving platter with the kibbeh.
- Pour the sumac sauce over the kibbeh and eggplant on the serving platter.
- Serve the dish hot.
- The dish can be served with greens and radishes on a side plate.
- If the sumac is not sour enough, lemon salt can be added.