Vegan Kibbeh with Swiss Chard

Method26 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Working in batches, wilt ALL the prepared 2 lb Swiss-chard leaves in a DRY pan over low heat, sprinkling a pinch of the separate wilting salt on each batch to draw out moisture. No total wilting-salt dose or time is specified. Squeeze the actual wilted leaves dry, discard the expressed liquid and reserve all the leaves for stage 5.

   Uses 2 lb Swiss-chard leaves, stemmed, washed, dried and chopped · A pinch salt per chard-wilting batch; total unspecified

2. 2

   Step 2: Wipe the emptied pan clean before cooking the filling onions.

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat ALL the separate ¼ cup vegetable oil for onions over medium heat and add ALL 2 lb thinly sliced red onions. Reserve the separate sunflower frying oil for stage 22.

   Uses ¼ cup vegetable oil for the filling onions · 2 lbs red onions, sliced thinly

4. 4

   Step 4: Cook ALL the actual onion-and-oil mixture from stage 3 for about 15 minutes, until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden.

   Filling onions: about 15 minutes · 15 minUses Complete actual red-onion and filling-oil mixture

5. 5

   Step 5: Add ALL 2 tablespoons filling pepper paste and ALL the actual wilted, squeezed chard from stage 1 to ALL the actual cooked onions from stage 4. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes until combined.

   Chard and pepper paste: about 2 minutes · 2 minUses Complete actual softened red onions and their cooking oil · 2 tablespoons Aleppo or Turkish pepper paste for filling · Complete actual wilted squeezed chard leaves

6. 6

   Step 6: Stir ALL 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, the few grinds of filling black pepper and ALL the selected 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts into ALL the actual chard-onion mixture from stage 5. The dough coriander and 3 teaspoons dough salt are separate stocks for stage 13.

   Uses Complete actual chard, onion and pepper-paste mixture · 2 tsp crushed red pepper · A few grinds black pepper for filling; amount unspecified · 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts for filling

7. 7

   Step 7: Remove ALL the actual filling mixture from stage 6 from the heat. Stir in ALL 2 tablespoons initial pomegranate molasses, ALL 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ALL ½ teaspoon sugar and the separate 2 teaspoons filling salt.

   Uses Complete actual cooked chard-onion-walnut filling mixture · 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses for initial filling seasoning · 2 Tbsp lemon juice · 1/2 tsp sugar · 2 teaspoons salt for finishing the complete filling

8. 8

   Step 8: Taste ALL the actual cooked filling from stage 7 and adjust with extra salt or pomegranate molasses if needed. Set it aside to cool for stuffing. If not shaping promptly, cool in a shallow container and refrigerate at 4°C or colder within 2 hours. Keep this actual filling separate from the dough.

   Uses Complete actual seasoned cooked chard and walnut filling · Optional additional salt for cooked filling or finished cooked kibbeh, to taste; amount unspecified · Optional additional pomegranate molasses for cooked filling, to taste; amount unspecified

9. 9

   Step 9: For the dough, soak ALL 2 cups dry fine bulgur in water for about 20 minutes. Drain, squeeze the actual soaked bulgur dry and discard the soaking water.

   Dry fine bulgur: soak about 20 minutes · 20 minUses 2 cups dry fine bulgur (#1 grind) for dough · Water to soak the dry bulgur; amount unspecified; drain and discard afterward

10. 10

    Step 10: Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water for wetting your hands during kneading and shaping. Its total amount and uptake are unspecified.

    Uses Ice-cold water for moistening hands while kneading and shaping; prepared amount and uptake unspecified

11. 11

    Step 11: In the food-processor bowl, combine ALL the actual soaked, drained and squeezed bulgur from stage 9 with ALL 1 cup coarse semolina and ALL 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

    Uses Complete actual soaked drained squeezed fine bulgur · 1 cup coarse semolina for dough · 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

12. 12

    Step 12: Process ALL the actual dough mixture from stage 11 until a dough begins to form. No fixed processor time is specified.

    Uses Complete actual bulgur, semolina and flour dough mixture

13. 13

    Step 13: Tip ALL the actual emerging dough from stage 12 into a large bowl and add ALL the separate 1 tablespoon ground coriander and 3 teaspoons dough salt.

    Uses Complete actual processed bulgur and flour dough · 1 Tbsp ground coriander · 3 teaspoons salt for the complete dough

14. 14

    Step 14: Wet your hands slightly from the SAME ice-water bowl prepared in stage 10 and knead ALL the actual seasoned dough from stage 13 until fully combined, about 3 minutes. The water uptake is unspecified. Keep raw flour dough untasted and cook it fully during frying.

    Uses Complete actual seasoned raw bulgur semolina dough · Ice water to moisten hands; uptake unspecified

15. 15

    Step 15: When the actual dough from stage 14 is ready and the actual filling from stage 8 is cool, take ONE small ball from the SAME dough batch; the starting hand-shaping guide is about ½–1 inch across. The exact portion mass and share of the total dough are unspecified. Keep the remaining dough and filling for repetition in stage 21.

    Uses One actual dough ball; exact mass and whole-batch share unspecified

16. 16

    Step 16: Hollow out ALL the actual single dough ball from stage 15 by pressing an index finger into its center and pressing the dough against your other palm.

    Uses Complete actual single dough ball being hollowed

17. 17

    Step 17: Keep turning ALL the actual hollowed dough portion from stage 16 in your palm and pressing until it forms a thin-walled open pocket. No exact shell thickness is specified.

    Uses Complete actual hollowed single dough portion

18. 18

    Step 18: Put a spoonful of the SAME actual cooled filling from stage 8 into ALL the actual dough pocket from stage 17. Spoon size, filling mass and share of the complete filling batch are unspecified; do not treat this as the whole filling batch.

    Uses Complete actual single open dough pocket · One actual filling spoonful per pocket; dose and whole-batch share unspecified

19. 19

    Step 19: Moisten your fingers from the SAME ice-water bowl from stage 10, then smooth and seal ALL the actual filled pocket from stage 18 into the desired kibbeh shape. The applied water amount is unspecified.

    Uses Complete actual single filled kibbeh pocket · Ice water to moisten fingers for sealing; uptake unspecified

20. 20

    Step 20: If the actual sealed kibbeh from stage 19 needs further smoothing, moisten your fingers again from the SAME ice-water bowl from stage 10 and smooth the surface. No new dough or filling stock is added here.

    Uses Complete actual sealed single kibbeh · Same ice water for further smoothing if needed; uptake unspecified

21. 21

    Step 21: Keep the completed actual first kibbeh from stage 20. Repeat stages 15–20 using the REMAINING actual dough from stage 14 and portions of the REMAINING actual filling from stage 8 until the dough is used. The estimate is about 15 pieces, depending on the portion sizes; do not force an exact count or overfill the shells. Refrigerate any unused cooked filling promptly in a shallow covered container. This produces one actual batch of shaped raw kibbeh.

    Uses Complete actual first shaped filled kibbeh · Remaining actual dough; share after first piece unspecified · Additional actual filling portions; total retention unspecified; unused filling reserved · Same ice water during repeated shaping; uptake unspecified

22. 22

    Step 22: Heat the separate sunflower frying oil in a suitable pot to a depth of about 1 inch. The oil volume and amount retained by the kibbeh are unspecified.

    Uses Sunflower oil for a frying bath about 1 inch deep; volume and uptake unspecified

23. 23

    Step 23: Use a thermometer to bring the SAME actual frying-oil bath from stage 22 to 350°F. Keep this oil ready for frying the shaped kibbeh from stage 21.

    Uses Actual sunflower-oil frying bath

24. 24

    Step 24: Fry ALL the actual shaped kibbeh from stage 21 in the SAME actual hot oil from stage 23, in manageable batches. Fry each batch about 5–10 minutes, depending on piece size, until golden and crisp and the flour-based shell is cooked through. The time guide is PER FRYING BATCH, not the total for all batches. Keep oil near 350°F between batches.

    ONE kibbeh frying batch: 5–10 minutes · 10 minUses Complete actual batch of shaped raw chard-filled kibbeh · Same actual hot sunflower-oil bath used across frying batches

25. 25

    Step 25: Transfer ALL the actual fried kibbeh from stage 24 to paper towels to drain excess oil. The retained oil amount is unspecified. Serve promptly once drained.

    Uses Complete actual cooked fried kibbeh batch

26. 26

    Step 26: For later serving, refrigerate the actual cooked kibbeh from stage 25 in shallow airtight containers at 4°C or colder within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat the portion in the oven until heated throughout to 74°C; no oven temperature or reheating duration is specified. Add extra salt to the fully cooked portion only if needed. Keep any reserved cooked filling separate and refrigerate it under the same limits.

    Uses Actual drained cooked kibbeh for selected immediate or refrigerated serving · Optional additional salt for the fully cooked kibbeh, to taste