These reminded me of the quinoa patties, except softer, spicier, and meat-based.  When I was plating these, I told Dave excitedly, “These are vegan!”  He was impressed because they looked like they were made of ground beef.  “Oh.  They are.  I meant gluten-free.”  That’s also a lie – bulgur is wheat.  And even on a spacey day I could see that yogurt is definitely a dairy product.  So while these spiced kibbe might not conform to your particular diet, they’re still a healthy, good-for-you food for the rest of us.  We ate them with arugula & carrots (my lazy salad-substitute), but I’ll try them again wrapped in pita bread, with yogurt or chutney and some spinach.  Mm!

Spiced Kibbe

from Urban Pantry

Ingredients

3/4 cup uncooked bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup ground beef or lamb
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried (or 1 tbsp fresh) mint, oregano or dill
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

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1.  In a medium bowl, add the bulgur and pour the boiling water overtop.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20-25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  Remove plastic wrap and let the cooked bulgur cool.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine the following ingredients with your hands: ground beef/lamb, cooled bulgur, garam masala, salt, chile flakes, cinnamon, and herbs.  Form six small patties.

3.  Place a large frying pan over medium heat, and drizzle with olive oil.  When oil is heated through, arrange the kibbe patties on the pan and cook 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.  Serve hot with herbed yogurt.

Herbed Yogurt

from Urban Pantry

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp coarse salt

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

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1.  Combine all in a small bowl.  Set aside for 10 minutes before serving.  Store in an airtight contained the fridge for up to 7 days.