Kurdish Recipes Kurdish Cuisine

KURDISH KIBBEH

Steps:

• To make the kibbeh shells, place 4 ounces of the meat in a blender or food processor and process until it is a paste. Set aside.
• Rinse the bulgur in cold water and squeeze it dry. Place bulgur in a blender or food processor and add the meat paste and the semolina. Process until the mixture resembles a firm dough. If it does not adhere well, add a few drops of water. Transfer mixture to a bowl and chill for 1 hour while you make the filling.
• Puree the remaining meat with the liver in a blender or food processor. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over high heat and cook the onions until transparent, about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the raisins and meat, and cook until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the pomegranate seeds.
• To assemble the kibbeh, knead the dough for 5 minutes. Take a walnut-size piece of the dough and shape it into a ball.
• Flatten the ball and poke your finger into it, gradually hollowing out a cavity and shaping the dough into a torpedo shape.
• Fill the cavity with about a tablespoon of the stuffing mixture and work the dough over the hole to close it. Continue to assemble the kibbeh. When all have been assembled, arrange on a dish and chill for 1 hour.
• Heat the remainder of the oil in a deep-fryer until it registers 375°F on a thermometer or a cube of bread browns in 60 seconds. Drop in the kibbeh, a few at a time. Deep-fry until golden-brown, about 10 minutes, then drain on absorbent paper. Keep warm as you continue to cook kibbeh.
• Serve with saffron or white rice, perhaps accompanied by sauteed peppers.

KURDISH-SULEIMANY STYLE RICE

Steps:

• chop the onion.
• add the vegetable oil to a pot/sauce pan.
• add the onion to the oil and let it fry until it's brown.
• if your rice (medium grain as in the picture) needs soaking or washing, do this while you add water and salt to the fried onions and wait for the water to boil.
• once the water boils, add the rice and cover it, don't leave it, remove the lid every now and then and thoroughly stir the rice until it absorbs the water.
• all this time your stove should be on the high heat level, now when the rice absorbs the water, you put it on low-medium heat (not too low, you know your stove better than I) and cover it. Let it cook for 20 minutes, then stir it in a way that the bottom part becomes on the top. Taste it, if it's well-cooked, it's done, if not, cover it for 5-10 more minutes. If you feel it's too hard or too dry (some rices need more water) add little water and cover it for 10 more minute.
• leave the rice on the stove after the 20 minutes for 3 minutes or so before you serve it. You can turn off the stove meanwhile or keep it on. You should add enough salt to the water and if the amount of oil is too much you can lessen it or increase it. It will taste better if it contains enough oil. Serve it with meat and broth or with chicken and cooked vegetable soup and salad or any other thing for more flavour.