These traditional lamb mince balls with cucumber salad will take your taste-buds on a journey to the Middle East.
Ingredients
- 120g (2/3 cup) Naytura Cracked Wheat
- 400g lamb mince
- 1 brown onion, coarsely grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 teaspoon sumac
- Olive oil, to grease
- Natural yoghurt, to serve
- Lebanese bread, to serve
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Cucumber salad
- 4 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthways, coarsely chopped
- 4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh continental parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
Method
- Step 1Place cracked wheat in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, pressing to remove excess moisture.
- Step 2Place 350g mince and half the onion in a large bowl. Add the cracked wheat, mint and half the allspice, and season with salt and pepper. Use wet hands to mix until well combined.
- Step 3Cook remaining mince in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 2 minutes or until mince changes colour. Add the remaining onion and cook for 2 minutes or until the mince is cooked and the onion is soft. Stir in the pine nuts, sumac and the remaining allspice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool completely.
- Step 4Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush a baking tray with oil to grease. Divide the cracked wheat mixture into 16 even portions. Roll 1 portion into a ball. Holding the ball in the palm of your hand, press your index finger into the centre of the ball to make a cup shape. Place 1 teaspoon of the pine nut mixture in the cavity. Bring the edges together to seal, then roll into a slightly elongated egg shape. Repeat, in 15 more batches, with the remaining cracked wheat mixture and pine nut mixture.
- Step 5Place the kibbeh on the prepared tray. Bake in oven, turning halfway through cooking and brushing occasionally with juices, for 30 minutes or until cooked.
- Step 6Meanwhile, to make the cucumber salad, combine the cucumber, tomato, onion and parsley in a bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon dressing to the cucumber mixture and toss to combine.
- Step 7Serve the kibbeh balls with cucumber salad, yoghurt, bread and lemon wedges.
- High protein
- Low carb
- Low kilojoule
- Low sodium
- Low sugar
- Lower gi
Nutrition
1654 kj
Energy
18g
Fat Total
6g
Saturated Fat
8g
Fibre
28g
Protein
65mg
Cholesterol
104.09mg
Sodium
8g
Carbs (sugar)
26g
Carbs (total)
Notes
You can also serve these kibbeh balls as part of a mezze meal, which is a favourite in Lebanon. This “grazing” meal consists of a series of small dishes that are set out for guests to nibble on. Simply halve the size of the kibbeh and reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes. Serve with hummus, baba ghanoush, labne and Lebanese bread for a magnificent meal. ((( Freezing tip ))) Cool at the end of step 5. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place kibbeh on a baking tray in oven until heated through.
- Author: Gemma Purcell
- Image credit: Sue Ferris
- Publication: Australian Good Taste