Kibbeh labaniyeh

The kibbeh casing combines fine bulgur and minced meat with onion and spices. In Zaatar and Zaytoun’s version, a cooked filling of minced lamb and beef, onion, pine nuts and sumac is enclosed in that casing. The shaped kibbeh is partly baked before finishing in the yoghurt sauce.^[1]

The sauce uses plain yoghurt thickened with cornflour, with a little cooked short-grain rice as an optional addition. Garlic and fresh coriander sautéed in butter are added, followed by dried mint. The dish, also called kibbeh bi laban, can be served hot or cold in a shallow bowl. The author also makes an unfilled version shaped into flat rounds.^[1]