Tag: fried

Keep On Kibbeh On

Diving into a plate of homemade kibbeh, still hot enough to scald both your fingers and mouth as you steal the first bite, and still so impossibly delicious that it’s worth the pain, is a singular experience to aspire to. It’s been on my recipe wish list for a decade, maybe two, punted in favor of less daunting dishes. At long last, I can say that while it’s not a quick fix meal to whip up on an average weeknight, it’s well within reach, and well worth taking the plunge.

What Are Kibbeh?

The word kibbeh stems from an Arabic verb كَبَّبَ (kabbaba), meaning “to form into a ball” or a circular shape. Kibbeh is considered a revered national dish of Syria and Lebanon, held in high esteem and fiercely protected. The essential ingredients for any form of kibbeh are bulgur wheat, spices, and ground meat. Traditionally, that meat would be in the form of lamb, beef, or goat, but plant-based variations abound. My recipe combines potatoes for binding power, chickpeas for protein, and Sugimoto Shiitake for umami to create the ideal balance of texture, nutrition, and flavor.

Sugimoto Shiitake are my favorite substitute for ground beef. You can mince the whole mushroom or just the stem for a thrifty fix that packs a huge punch of flavor. The toothsome chew stands on its own as an authentically meaty sensation, or enhances any range of alternative proteins to those same lofty standards. Coarsely mashed chickpeas, crisp pine nuts, caramelized onions, and a dazzling array of spices join forces for an unforgettable taste sensation.

Hashweh in Arabic means “filling” or “stuffing,” which is how I refer to this umami mixture. However, in common parlance, it’s come to refer to a one-pot rice dish, not unlike a meaty pilaf. You could very happily use it to stuff other vegetables, like peppers or cabbage, or serve like a side dish as is.

Kaleidoscopic Kibbeh

Kibbeh isn’t just one dish. At last count, there’s roughly 70 distinctive variations found across the Middle East. Between regional variations, family tradition, and personal preferences, no two recipes are ever the same. Some of the most common types include:

  • Kibbeh Nayyeh is served completely raw, fully incorporating the meat with the wheat, like a finely ground steak tartare.
  • Kibbeh Bil Sanieh bakes the components together as two layers in a shallow dish.
  • Kibbeh Labanieh takes fried kibbeh balls and drowns them in a thick yogurt sauce.
  • Arras Kibbeh is what we’re making today: football-shaped, stuffed, and deep-fried kibbeh.

Popular Pairings

Is it a main dish or a mezze? That’s a trick question; it’s both! Get the party started by serving hot or room temperature kibbeh alongside tahini sauce, hummus, or tzatziki for dipping. Create a full dinner spread by pairing them with tabbouleh, shirazi salad, pita bread, grilled or roasted vegetables, or red lentil soup. Of course, you can easily make a one-bowl meal by topping salad or rice with all your favorite fixings and freshly fried kibbeh.

Prep For Success

There’s no way around it: making kibbeh from scratch can be an all-day affair. The first attempt may be messy or unshapely, but I promise you, every bit as gratifying in the end. Make the process easier by planning ahead:

  1. Enlist help from friends or family when it comes to stuffing to make the process both quicker and more enjoyable.
  2. Prepare one or both of the components in advance and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  3. Uncooked kibbeh freezes well, as does fully fried, leftover kibbeh, allowing you to enjoy it whenever the craving strikes.

Fear Of Frying?

Deep frying isn’t a regular activity around here, given the mess, potential hazards, and health implications, so I understand the hesitation. However, if there’s one recipe that I’d implore you to embrace that bubbling vat of oil, (though not literally, please!) it’s this one. No other method will create that perfectly crispy, golden brown shell that encloses a moist, meaty center. That said, I don’t want to dissuade you from trying other methods if that’s the only way to go. Your best bets are:

  • Baking: Spray or brush the kibbeh with oil and bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Air frying: Spray or brush the kibbeh with oil and air fry at 370 degrees for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes or so.
  • Pan frying: Set a nonstick skillet over medium heat, coat the bottom with 1 tablespoon of oil, then add 10 – 12 kibbeh at a time, making sure the pan is not too crowded. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes, turning on each side until evenly browned. Repeat with the remaining kibbeh.

Making kibbeh is truly an art that takes time and practice to get right. Fortunately, imperfect kibbeh is equally delicious, so your efforts will always be rewarded.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Fritter the Day Away

From the beginning of time, when humans discovered fire and the very concept of cooking itself, fritters have bubbled up across all cultures. Defined primarily as battered and fried morsels, the specifics that flavor these nuggets are limitless. Vegetables, fruits, or proteins could be the main feature, or a combination, or none of the above. The dough could be raised by yeast or baking soda or eggs, or left unleavened altogether. Served at any meal from day break to nightfall and in between, fritters can be sweet or savory, spicy or mild, served hot or cold. When you start trying to pin down exactly what a fritter is, it might be easier to describe what it isn’t instead.

Most Americans are familiar with simple, comforting fritters born primarily in the south; apple fritters are a staple lining in any decent pink doughnut shop box, while corn fritters are essential summer snacks. The French have beignets, while Italians call them bigne. Pakora hail from India, binding together bits of onion, potatoes, cauliflower or other vegetables in savory, seasoned chickpea flour.

While I could write a whole dissertation about the diverse world of fritters, I’d like to draw attention to a less celebrated sort today: the black eyed pea fritter. Known also as accara, this legume-based variant is primarily found in Africa. You could almost think of them as falafel from another motherland. Dried pulses blended coarsely with spices, fried until golden and crisp, they’re irresistible eaten out of hand as a snack, but work well in everything from sandwiches to salads.

This recipe comes from Chef Philip Gelb, who in turn adapted it from Bryant Terry. I was fortunate enough to first taste this beloved street food first hand, at one of his cooking classes eons ago. They were part of a lavish Jamaican spread including jerk cauliflower, calaloo, run down stew, and peas and rice, but I daresay they stole the show. Paired with a tart, tangy, sweet, and spicy tamarind chutney, I have a feeling you’ll fall in love with them, too.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)9 Comments

Let the Good Times, and Rice Balls, Roll

Get your favorite fat pants on and pull up a chair; it’s almost time for Fat Tuesday! You never need an excuse to indulge, but Mardi Gras is the best excuse to splurge on rich Cajun and Creole fare. No need to repent with fasting and self-denial for Lent, as per the Catholic tradition, though. When you’re eating plant-based, even the most lavish feast can be rationalized as a “healthier” choice. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself when I reach for a third, fourth, and maybe fifth round of fried jambalaya.

Italians would call them arancini, but it just hits different when you say it with a southern twang. Plump, sticky sushi rice is slowly simmered with the holy trinity, tomatoes, garlic, and a powerful punch of savory spices. Morsels of meatless sausage meld with the mixture for a substantial, satisfying bite. It’s a complete meal in one convenient, crispy package.

Dip, dunk, or plate the sizzling hot spheres with creamy remoulade sauce, tangy and punchy, spiked with vinegar and hot sauce to really get the party started. Go all out with a dollop of scallion pesto on top, or for a simpler finishing touch, sprinkle on plain scallions generously and call it a day.

With such bold flavors condensed into these tiny packages, you couldn’t ask for anything else… Except, maybe, one more helping.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Udon of a New Day

Instant noodles are the staff of life. Globally, they sustain wild swaths of the population, satisfying picky children to discerning adults, proving a quick fix for the hapless homemaker and the harried office worker alike, fitting the bill for both impoverished college students and affluent entrepreneurs. Curly bricks of ramen, dried, fried noodles, make the world go round.

There’s so much more to slurp, though, with considerably fresher appeal. Udon, thick as double-braided nylon rope, make ramen look like limp spaghetti by contrast. Dense, chewy, substantial wheat noodles, it’s hard to improve upon the classic soup base.

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, of course.

With just a bit of quick knife work, cut cubes plunge into bubbling hot oil rather than plain water to meet a crispier fate. Compulsively munchable, savory, and salty, these noodles are more than a last-minute dinnertime staple. Serve them with drinks for a new happy hour hit, pack them up for snacking on the go, or toss them into green salad as upgraded seasoned croutons.

Up until recently the best varieties could only be found frozen, flown in from Japan. Now the edible art form is available in the refrigerated aisle, made right here in the US by Fortune Noodles. Offered with a mushroom seasoning specifically and boldly labeled as VEGAN right across the front, they come out with the perfect texture and balanced yet bold umami broth every time.

There will always be a place in my heart, and my pantry for instant ramen, but no one noodle can do it all. Fresh udon makes greater snacking opportunities possible.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

Decadent Delicata

Hannukah is NOT the time to embark on some radical new low-fat diet. No matter where you believe lipids belong on your own personal food pyramid, oil is hero of this holiday, and the substance we all celebrate. From the oil in the miraculously burning lamps to the oil frying our food, the stuff has left its gloriously greasy residue all over this joyous event. This is the one rare time of year that we’re implored to ignore conventional nutritional advice and fry, fry again.

That’s not to say that just any old grease ball on a plate will suffice. Typical holiday fare turns starchy potatoes into crisp latkes and yeasted dough into jelly-stuffed sufganiyot. Dessert is where things get interesting, as the number of acceptable permutations for those requisite oily cakes hovers somewhere in the thousands. Latkes, on the other hand, are either right (however your grandma made them) or wrong (everything else.)

So on this occasion I throw caution to the wind along with another decadent treat into the vat of angrily bubbling oil. If there ever was such a thing as a “healthy” doughnut, laughable baked versions notwithstanding, it would unarguably be one made of a vegetable.

Inspired by their naturally alluring rings, simple sliced delicata squash stand in for the carbohydrate portion of the program, replacing the predictably dense dough with tender, subtly nuanced, pumpkin-like flesh. Far more flavorful than the bread-based default, it wins the battle for ease of preparation as well; the thin green skin needn’t be peeled, so just slice, remove the seeds, and you’re well on your way to an entirely new sweet holiday sensation.

Lightly battered and graced by a crunchy coating of simple cinnamon sugar, it’s hard to believe that such decadent treats are little more than plain squash rings dressed up in their finest. While you won’t fool any vegetable haters into confusing these for traditional doughnuts, you may just win them over.

Take it one step further still with a luxurious glaze of apple cider icing, redolent of the orchards on a brisk fall day. Reducing the cider does take a bit of patience, but every extra minute is well worth the wait. These dainty iced doughnuts are always the first to disappear.

Yield: Makes 10 – 14 Doughnuts

Delicata Doughnuts

Delicata Doughnuts
No Ratings

These delicata squash doughnuts trade heavy dough for naturally sweet, tender squash rings. Lightly battered and tossed in cinnamon sugar, they’re crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and subtly reminiscent of pumpkin pie. Add a drizzle of apple cider glaze for a cozy fall finish that’s well worth the extra step. While they won’t fool a doughnut purist, they’ll definitely steal the show at your next holiday gathering.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Delicata Doughnuts

  • 1 Medium (A Little Over 1 Pound) Delicata Squash
  • 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons Tapioca Starch
  • 2 Tablespoons Chickpea Flour
  • 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 3/4 Cup Water
  • Neutral Oil for Frying, such as Rice Bran or Canola

Cinnamon Sugar:

  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

Cider Icing:

  • 2 Cups Unfiltered Apple Cider
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar

Instructions

  1. To begin, fill a large saucepan about 1/3 full with your neutral oil of choice and heat to 350 degrees.
  2. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry your delicate before slicing it into 1/2-inch thick rings. Clean out the inner guts and seeds by either scraping it with a spoon, or using small round cookie cutters to punch out the stringy innards.
  3. Prepare the batter by simply whisking together all of the dry ingredients before slowly adding in the water. Whisk just until the mixture is smooth. Separately, stir together the cinnamon and sugar topping in a medium bowl, and set aside.
  4. For the glaze, place the apple cider in a small sauce pan and simmer until it has reduce to a mere 1/4 cup. Add in the vanilla and confectioner’s sugar, stirring until perfectly smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
  5. When the oil has come up to the right temperature, dip the delicata rings into batter one at a time, letting the excess drip off. Carefully lower them into the hot oil, cooking no more than two or three at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Let them cook undisturbed for about a minute before turning, flipping them frequently from that point onward to monitor browning.
  6. When the rings are evenly golden brown all over, use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them to a wire rack. While still warm, toss them individually in the cinnamon sugar, if using. If using the cider icing, let the donuts cool just until you can comfortably handle them, and gently dip the tops into the prepared glaze.
  7. Best eaten as soon as possible!

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 128mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 27gProtein: 2g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Miscellaneous Desserts

Hannah (BitterSweet)13 Comments