Kibbeh

Kibbeh(/ˈkɪbi/, alsokubbaand other spellings;Arabic:كبة,romanized:kibba) is a popular dish in theLevantbased on spiced lean ground meat andbulgur wheat. Kibbeh is considered to be anational dishofLebanonand Syria.
InLevantine cuisine, kibbeh is made by poundingbulgur wheattogether with meat into a fine paste and forming it into ovoid shapes, with toasted pine nuts and spices. It may also be layered and cooked on a tray,deep-fried, grilled, orserved raw.The Syrian city of Aleppo can lay claim to at least 17 types of kibbeh.InMesopotamian cuisine, versions with rice orfarinaare found.
Outside ofSyria,versions are found inCyprus,Egypt,Israel,Palestine, thePersian Gulf,Armenia, andTurkey,and amongAssyrian people.It is also found throughoutLatin Americancountries that received substantial numbers of immigrants from theLevantduring the late 19th and early 20th centuries,as well as parts of North America.
The word kibbeh first appeared in ancient biblical text, meaning "tent" or "tarp". Later on the word took on a new meaning inAramaicas kababa, which means "a covering".
InLevantine cuisine, a variety of dishes made with bulgur (cracked wheat) and minced lamb are calledkibbeh.Aleppois famous for having more than 17 different types.These includekibbehprepared withsumac(kibbe sumāqiyye),yogurt(kibbe labaniyye),quince(kibbe safarjaliyye), lemon juice (kibbe ḥāmḍa),pomegranatesauce,cherrysauce, and other varieties, such as the "disk"kibbeh(kibbe arāṣ), the "plate"kibbeh(kibbe biṣfīḥaorkibbe bṣēniyye) and the rawkibbeh(kibbeh nayyeh).
Kibbeh nayyehis a raw dish made from a mixture of bulgur, very finely minced lamb or beef similar tosteak tartare, and Levantine spices, served on a platter, frequently as part of amezeinLebanonandSyria, garnished with mint leaves and olive oil, and served with green onions or scallions, green hot peppers, andpita/pocket bread ormarkoukbread.Becausekibbeh nayyehis raw, it requires high-quality meat to prepare and has been seen as a traditional way to honor guests.
A Syrian soup known askubbi kishkconsists ofkubbi"torpedoes" or "footballs" in a yogurt (kishk) and butter broth with stewed cabbage leaves. Another soup, known askibbeh hamda, consists of chicken stock with vegetables (usually leeks, celery, turnips and courgettes), lemon juice and garlic, with smallkibbehmade with ground rice as dumplings.In theSyrian Jewishdiaspora this is popular both atPesachand as the pre-fast meal on the day beforeYom Kippur.
Kubba Mosulfrom Iraq is flat and round like a disc.Kubba halabis an Iraqi version of kibbeh created with a rice crust and named after the largest city in Syria,Aleppo.Kubbat Shorbais anIraqiandKurdishversion prepared as a stew, commonly made with turnips and chard in a tomato-based stew. It is often served witharakand various salads.
AmongKurdish Jews, there is a kubba soup flavored with aromatic thyme leaves soup during winter time.
Brazilianquibe/kibe, is sometimes stuffed withcatupiryorrequeijão,  a sauce resembling ricotta and cream cheese. Most Brazilianquibeuses only ground beef, but other variations use tahini,carne de soja(texturized soy protein),seitan(Japanesewheat gluten-based meat substitute) ortofu(soybean curd) as stuffing.
In theBrazilian stateofAcre, a variation ofquibecalledquibe de arroz(Rice kibbeh) is made with a rice flour breading. It was created byArab immigrants to Brazilwho didn't have access to wheat in the remote Amazon region of Brazil.
On Colombia's Caribbean coast, the most local variations of the dish use ground beef instead of lamb, but the original recipe, or one with mixture of beef and lamb, can be found served by the large Lebanese and Syrian population of the zone.The dish has acquired almost vernacular presence and is frequently served in social occasions at both Arab and non-Arab households. When served as an adopted local dish, it is offered often as a starter along with other regional delicacies, includingempanadas,deditosandcarimañolas.
The Dominican version was brought to the Dominican Republic by Lebanese immigrants.
Some regionalSyrian cuisineandLebanese cuisinescombinekibbehwith elements taken from Latin American cuisine, for example, it is typical ofSyrian Mexicansin Mexico to eat the traditional kibbeh withsalsa verde.