Vegan Kibbeh with Tahini-Onion-Walnut Stuffing
Meatless does not, by any means, translate to boring, and 4o days of Great Lent is the perfect time to get creative with nutrition packed vegan meals.
it cannot get any more from-scratch than this
Onions add texture to the filling, walnuts some crunch and spiced-up sesame seed paste a whole load of flavors.
The outer shell is made of wheat groats and semolina kneaded together to a dough-like consistency.
assemble + cook kibbeh
This recipe makes 60 bite-sized kibbeh shaped like Hershey’s Kisses chocolate.
prep red sauce + toss
To prevent cooked kibbeh from breaking up, let cool and firm up a bit before covering in sauce. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
VEGAN TAHINI KIBBEH | TAHINOV BAHKI GOLOLAG (keufteh)
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filling:
12 oz onion, finely diced
1/3 teaspoon ground coriander seeds (գինձ)
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon allspice (դարապղպեղ)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3-to-1/2 teaspoon red Aleppo pepper
1/2 cup tahini (not too runny)
1.5 oz walnut, coarsely shopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1/2-to-3/4 teaspoon salt, as needed
shell dough:
1 1/2 cups extra fine No.1 bulgur (բլղուր, ցորենի ձավար)
3/4 cups water, plus 1/3 cup and more as needed
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons coarse semolina (բոկեղ, սիմիթ)
2 1/4-to-3 teaspoons fine salt
3/4 teaspoon red Aleppo pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds (գինձ)
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper paste
3 tablespoons wheat flour
red sauce:
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 1/4 cups finely diced onion
pinch of salt, plus more as needed
12 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons ground coriander seeds (գինձ)
1 1/2 tablespoons red pepper paste
3-to-6 tablespoons water, to taste
Prepare filling. To a bowl, add finely diced onion, sprinkle with coarse salt and let stand for 20 minutes. Rub onions against each other, squeezing with your hands to do so, to release onion water (which is bitter) and wilt onions (do not cook). Rinse in cold water, drain well, and squeeze all water out; you will have to repeat this step several times. Spread between two layers of paper towel and press down until completely dry. Transfer into a bowl and mix in spices then tahini (sesame seed paste) until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in walnut and parsley and season with salt to taste. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.
Prepare shell dough. Mix bulgur with 3/4 cups of water and let stand for 15 minutes. Knead until mass starts to form a paste, adding an additional 1/3 cup of water and more as you do so. Add semolina and remaining shell ingredients. Knead to a soft, pliable, sticky but not wet dough-like consistency; this will take time, be patient and add more water as needed. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes. Divide kibbeh shell dough into 60 equally-sized balls.
Assemble kibbeh. Have ready a bowl of cold water – to wet hands as and if needed when working. Working with one ball at a time, make an indentation on one side using your index finger. Keep gently rolling around to enlarge and thin shell walls. Spoon some filling inside, push down, and slowly pinch ends together to seal and shape. Place onto a sheet pan and repeat; keep everything covered with a plastic wrap to prevent excess drying as you work.
Cook kibbeh. Bring a pot of salted and oiled water to a boil. Drop assembled kibbeh into the pot one at a time as you carefully move them around; not all at once. Bring to a gentle boil on low-heat and cook until soft but not disintegrated; about 20-to-30 minutes. Remove to a platter with a slotted spoon. Bring pot back to a boil, lower the heat and proceed with the rest. Set aside until slightly cool and outer shell starting to firm up.
Prepare garlic sauce. Add onions and a pinch of salt into a saucepan and sauté until translucent. Add garlic, then coriander and pepper paste. Sauté for a couple minutes, adding water, until desired sauce consistency is reached then add salt as needed. Gently toss in cooked kibbeh. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
* Cooked kibbeh (without sauce) can be frozen flat then transferred into bags. Thaw in the fridge overnight then toss in sauce.
** Kibbeh can be cooked and chilled a day in advance. Prepare and toss in sauce before serving the next day.
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