Kubba Mosul Recipe
Iraqi meat-filled pies, known as Kubba Mosul.
Servings: 8 small kubbas
Calories: 538kcal
Ingredients
Shell / Paste
- 1¼ cups bulgur (#1, fine grind)
- 1 cup semolina or rice flour
- 1 lbs. ground beef or lamb
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon allspice
Filling
- 1 lb. ground beef or lamb
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon allspice powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)
- ⅓ cup raisins (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (for oiling the plastic bags)
Instructions
Filling
- Cook meat, onion, and filling spices in a pan. Transfer to a plate to cool. If you want to include raisins, almonds, or pinenuts, just toast them in the same pan and add to the filling mix.
Shell/Paste
- Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour one cup of warm water over it. Set it aside for 10 minutes to soften.
- Add semolina (or rice flour), meat, salt, and allspice to the bulgur. Knead thoroughly with your hands until completely mixed. Run the mixture through a meat grinder or food processor to form a paste.
Assembly
- Get two gallon-sized ziplock bags and slit the side seams using a knife or scissors, then cut off the part that seals the bag. Rub the inside of the bags with a small amount of oil.
- Mold ⅛ portion of the paste into a ball. Place in the center of the plastic bag. Cover with the other half. Flatten into a thin circle using a rolling pin. If wrinkles form in the plastic, just lift up the plastic and re-adjust it.
- Lift up on the plastic that’s covering the paste. Use a 10" plate to trace out a circle. Go around the edges with your finger, removing the extra dough.
- Grab the edges of the plastic bag and set aside. Repeat with another portion of paste, on the remaining plastic bag.
- Add filling over one of the circles, leaving ½″ to 1″ border uncovered.
- Align the other shell over the one with the filling. Press down on the plastic-covered disc, beginning in the center and working your way toward the edges. This is done to remove any air bubbles and to seal the kubba.
- Flip the Kubba over to the other side and repeat the steps.
- Carefully peel back one of the plastic bags. Use the sides of your pointer fingers to build up the edges by lightly pushing the edges towards the center of the Kubba.
- Cover the finished kubba with a piece of saran wrap that’s long enough to wrap all the way around it.
- Flip the Kubba over so that the plastic wrap is on the bottom. Carefully peel back the plastic bag and allow the Kubba to dry out.
- After approximately 30 minutes, fold the plastic wrap over it. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Stack the dried and wrapped Kubba on a ray and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, they can be stored in large freezer bags.
Cooking Instructions
- Boil water in a non-stick pan. Next, add the Kubba to the boiling water and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Drain any remaining water and add one tablespoon of oil to the pan. Fry Kubba on one side until crispy, then flip and fry on the other side. Slice in quarters and serve with a salad and pickled mangos.
Video
Notes
- If the paste is too sticky, add a little more semolina or rice flour until it's manageable.
- Instead of a plate, you can use a bowl, pot cover, or smaller saucer. It just depends on the size of Kubba that you're making.
- I recommend freezing the Kubba before cooking them. This makes them not as flimsy and easier to handle.
- Sometimes ground onion and baking soda are also mixed in with the paste, although I've never added them.
- Any leftover meat or paste can be frozen and used the next time you make Kubba.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Kubba | Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 922mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g