Kibbeh

Kibbeh is a shell of bulgur and finely ground meat, stuffed with spiced mince and pine nuts, and fried. It is treated as a signature dish in both Lebanon and Syria, and it is a test of hands: the shell has to be thin, even, and survive the oil.

What it actually is

Soaked fine bulgur is worked together with very finely ground lean lamb or beef, grated onion and warm spices — allspice, cinnamon, black pepper — until it becomes a smooth, pliable paste.

A piece of that paste is hollowed out in the palm into a thin shell, filled with cooked spiced mince with onion and pine nuts, sealed into a torpedo shape and deep-fried.

There are several other forms, and they are not variations so much as separate dishes:

• Kibbeh nayyeh — raw. Mixed fresh and served immediately with olive oil and mint.
• Kibbeh bil sanieh — baked flat in a tray, in two layers with the filling between.
• Kibbeh labaniyeh — cooked in yoghurt.

How it's served

• Hot, by the piece, as part of a mezze spread.
• With yoghurt or a lemon wedge, and often with hummus and tabbouleh alongside.
• Raw in the case of nayyeh, which is a delicacy and made only with very fresh meat.

Writing it on a menu

• Say which form you serve. Fried, raw and tray-baked are different dishes, and a line that just says "kibbeh" leaves the guest guessing.
• Price by the piece and say how many are in a portion.
• Name the pine nuts. They are not on the EU's list of 14 declarable allergens, but guests avoiding nuts still want to know.
• Note the gluten — bulgur is wheat.