Shared by Sylvia Fallas
Shared by Sylvia Fallas
Kibbe Cherries (Syrian Meat and Rice Roll with Cherries and Tamarind)
Yield: 4 rolls, serving 20
Kibbe Cherries (Syrian Meat and Rice Roll with Cherries and Tamarind)
Yield: 4 rolls, serving 20Family Journey
Aleppo, SyriaIsrael
Brooklyn
Kibbe dough, a malleable mixture of chopped meat and rice ground together, forms the basis of this popular Syrian dish. The dough surrounds a layer of ground meat flavored with celery and allspice and gets neatly rolled up, like a jelly roll. The rolls are braised in a tangy, tart sauce of tamarind, canned sweet cherries, lemon and sugar.
“Most of the kosher butchers in Brooklyn and Deal, [New Jersey] sell kibbe dough next to the ground beef,” shares Sylvia Fallas. While she usually gets her kibbe dough from the butcher, we’ve included a recipe from Poopa Dweck’s cookbook “Aromas of Aleppo: The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews.” The consistency should be somewhat like soft play-doh — make sure the rice is finely ground before grinding it together with the meat, or the kibbeh will have a gritty texture when cooked. When working with kibbe dough, keep a small bowl of neutral oil near your workspace and dip your fingers in as needed for shaping. The dish is served atop white rice, which soaks up the sauce.
*You will need a spice or coffee grinder to grind the rice.
Read more of Sylvia Fallas’s story in “For This Syrian Family, Friday Afternoon Means Coffee and Pastries” and get her family recipes for apple crumble and adjwe (date-filled semolina cookies).
Ingredients
For the kibbe dough:
- 1 lb. very lean ground beef (90/10)
- ½ cup ground, long-grain white rice* (see headnote)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Neutral oil, for shaping
For the filling:
- Leaves of one head of celery
- 1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef (80/20)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the cherry sauce:
- 2 (15 oz.) cans sweet cherries in syrup
- ½ cup tamarind paste
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
Step 1
Make the kibbe dough: Grind the lean meat in a meat grinder or a food processor. Add the ground rice and salt to the meat and grind twice more, so the mixture is well blended and smooth. Alternatively, have your butcher grind the meat for you, and double grind the butcher-ground meat with the rice and salt in a food processor afterwards. Cover the dough and refrigerate.
Step 2
Make the filling: Finely mince the celery leaves. Add to a mixing bowl along with the meat, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined.
Step 3
Form the rolls: Remove the kibbe dough from the fridge and split into 4 equal portions. Place each portion onto a large sheet of waxed paper.
Step 4
Dip your fingers in oil and press it out gently, flattening the dough out. Place another piece of waxed paper over the top and use a rolling pin to roll each piece of kibbe dough into a rectangle about ¼" thick. Each piece should measure about 8" x 10-11".
Step 5
Remove the waxed paper off the top of each piece of meat. Place ¼ of the ground beef filling on each flat, rolled out layer of kibbe dough and press lightly to cover, leaving a slight border, around ¾” around each edge.
Step 6
Roll each piece of kibbe long side up, like a jelly roll, using the waxed paper to help you. Tuck the ends under and flip the seam side up, pinching the seams to seal. Set aside.
Step 7
Make the cherry sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 8
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 9x13” roasting pan. Brown the kibbe rolls in the pan for 5 minutes, with the seam sides facing up, 2 at a time. Repeat with the remaining 2 kibbe rolls. Flip so the seam sides are down and pour the sauce over top. Cover with foil. Transfer to a 375 degree oven and cook for 45 minutes.
Step 9
Remove from the oven and carefully uncover the kibbe rolls. Use a sharp knife to score diagonal slits on the top of each roll, 1" apart. Cover and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 30-35 minutes. Remove and serve immediately with white rice.
