Kibe (Brazilian-Lebanese Fried Bulgur & Beef)

Put the bulgur in a bowl, cover with cold water by 3 cm and soak 30 minutes until soft. Drain in a fine sieve and press out as much water as you can — squeeze it in your hands.

💡 Wet bulgur is the number-one cause of kibe that falls apart in the oil. Squeeze until no more water drips — it should feel almost dry.

In a large bowl, combine the squeezed bulgur, minced beef, grated onion, mint, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.

Knead firmly with your hands for 4–5 minutes until it becomes a smooth, sticky, uniform paste that holds together in a ball.

💡 Really work it — the more you knead, the more the beef proteins bind the bulgur, and the less likely it is to crack when frying. Wetting your hands helps.

Chill the mixture for 20 minutes — cold paste is much easier to shape.

With wet hands, take a golf-ball of paste and shape it into a torpedo (an American-football shape) with pointed ends, about 8 cm long. Repeat with the rest.

Heat the oil to 170°C. Fry the kibe in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep mahogany-brown and crisp all over.

Lift onto a rack to drain. Because the beef is raw when it goes in, make sure the first one is cooked through at the centre before frying the rest.

Serve hot with lime wedges and a spoonful of soft curd cheese or hot sauce for dipping.