Enjoy the rich flavours of Iraq with Kubba Mosul, a traditional Middle Eastern dish. Ground meat, aromatic spices, and fine bulgur come together to create a mouthwatering delight. The dish is prepared by layering meat filling between bulgur dough, which is rolled flat and baked to perfection. The result is a golden, crispy exterior that encases the flavorful filling.
Servings 6portions
Prep Time 30 minutesmins
1 hourhr
Total Time 1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Ingredients
Filling
2onionsfinely chopped
400gramsminced lamb
1/3cupchopped almonds
1tsp curry powder
1tspground coriander
1/2tspcumin
1/4tspcinnamon
2tbspof finely chopped parsley
3-4tbspoil
1/2tspblack pepper
1/2 - 1tspsaltto taste
Bulgur dough
450gramsfine bulgur
1/2tbsturmeric
1tsp salt
1/2tspblack pepper
Water as needed
Other
40-50gbutter
oil
Instructions
Rinse the bulgur thoroughly and soak it in boiling-hot water for about 10 minutes. Drain the bulgur and let it cool. Occasionally fluff it with a fork to prevent sticking.
Meat filling
Fry the chopped onions for about 10 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
Add the minced meat and spices, and cook until all the meat's moisture evaporates. Then, add the almonds and parsley and cook for 5 minutes. Drain any excess oil and let it cool.
Dough preparation
Mix the prepared bulgur, meat, and spices in a bowl. Add a little water if needed; it should hold together without falling apart.
Once everything is well combined, put it in a food processor in several batches and blend, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary, just enough to form a "dough" that doesn't break apart. To test - It's best to take a piece of dough and flatten it between wet palms; if it doesn't crumble, the dough is ready.
Prepare the Kubba
Generously coat the baking tray with butter.
Take a half a portion of the dough, place it in a bowl with a little water, and using wet hands, spread the dough in the baking tray. The dough shouldn't be too thick, just enough to cover the bottom of the tray.
Add the meat mixture and spread it thinly over the dough.
For the top part of the dough, take 2 sheets of plastic wrap (place them side by side, slightly overlapping, to have enough space to work with the dough), add the dough, and with wet hands roll out the dough. Use the plastic wrap to transfer the dough layer to the baking tray. It's okay if the entire surface isn't covered or if it cracks. If this happens, take small pieces of dough, roll them between your palms, and fill in the gaps. Then, with wet hands, press everything together to meld with the filling.
Cut the kubba into squares or triangles (if you're using a round tray) and generously brush with oil.
Cover the tray with aluminium foil.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Bake the covered kubba for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and continue baking covered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, increase the temperature again to 200 degrees Celsius, uncover the tray, and bake for another 10 minutes or until it turns nicely golden brown.
Notes
The estimated calorie count of approximately 3,500 is for the entire dish. Please bear in mind that these values are approximations and may fluctuate depending on your chosen serving sizes and personal preferences. With my tray typically yielding 6 squares, each portion comes to roughly 580 calories. Enjoy!