Kibe

Ingredients

• 300 gbulgur
• 300 gground beef
• 1onion
• mint — chopped
• for fryingoil
• to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. Start by soaking 300 g of bulgur in cold water. Use a large bowl and cover the bulgur with water by about 2 cm. Let it soak for about 15 minutes until the grains are plump and tender. Drain the bulgur well, pressing it gently to remove excess water, as this will prevent the kibe from becoming too wet during cooking.
2. While the bulgur is soaking, finely chop 1 onion and a small handful of mint leaves. The onion should be diced finely to blend well with the meat, and the mint should be chopped to release its aroma and flavor throughout the mixture.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained bulgur, 300 g of ground beef, chopped onion, and mint. Season the mixture with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands, ensuring that the ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture holds together when pressed.
4. Shape the kibe mixture into small oval patties or balls, about the size of a large walnut. This shape helps them cook evenly and provides a nice texture. If the mixture feels too dry, you can add a tablespoon of water to help bind it.
5. Heat a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be about 1 cm deep to ensure even frying. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the kibe patties in batches, avoiding overcrowding the pan.
6. Fry the kibe patties until they are golden brown on all sides, turning them gently with tongs. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side. The kibe is done when the exterior is crisp and the interior is cooked through, with no pink remaining in the beef.
7. Remove the fried kibe from the pan and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Immediately sprinkle with a little more fine sea salt while they are still hot to enhance the flavor. Serve the kibe warm, ideally with a side of fresh mint leaves for garnish.