Kubbeh Selek: Semolina stuffed Meat in Tangy Beet Soup
Before we talk about this recipe, I need to preface it with one caveat. It will never turn out as perfect as the one your friend’s Iraqi grandmother makes. There’s something about the rhythmic process of making these semolina balls perfectly round, thin-walled and neat that takes years, decades, of weekly practice. Don’t let it deter you because the flavors are all there. And very worthwhile.
Kubbeh is a semolina ball stuffed with baharat-laced meat and thrown into a soup. A sort of matzah ball or dumpling. It’s incredibly flavorful and comforting and worth the bit of effort. There are different iterations it finds itself in. A red tomato based soup, a yellow squash soup, and this pink beet soup which I’m a big fan of. It’s not just the color that tickles my feminine side but the sweetness of the beets that contrast so well against the earthy celery and tangy lemon juice. It’s a party of flavors that make this dish special. And worth the effort, even if we’re not as skilled as your friend’s Iraqi grandmother.
Kubbeh Selek
ingredients
for the dough,
500g semolina
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup lukewarm water
for the meat,
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1lb ground meat (beef, dark chicken, lamb)
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp baharat (see below)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
for the soup,
5 tbsps oil
1 large onion, diced
5-6 stalks celery, cut into sticks
4 beets, peeled, sliced in half moons
½ cup lemon juice (from 5-6 lemons)
4 tbsps sugar
1 ½ tsp sea salt
¾ tsp black pepper
Chopped parsley, to garnish
directions
In a medium bowl mix the semolina, oil and salt. Add the water and knead into a smooth, moist dough. Cover with a plastic bag to retain moisture. Set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent and sear the meat while breaking it apart, about 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, garlic, baharat, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Carefully spoon the mixture into a bowl, taking care to squeeze out the oil against the side of the pan. Set aside to cool.
To make the kubbeh, pinch a small ball of dough from the semolina. Roll it out into a large disk. Ideally the walls should be thin yet not easily tear. No small feat. Put a heaping tablespoon of meat in the center and pinch the sides over it to close. Roll it into a ball between your hands (you can also flatten into a disk like I did). Don’t make the balls too big, ideally they should be petite, otherwise they become too doughy in the soup. Repeat until you’ve used up the meat mixture. Line them up on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge while you work on the soup.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent and add the celery and beets. Give it a light stir to coat in oil. Pour about 2.5 litres water (10-12 cups) and bring to a boil. Season with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove the kubbeh from the fridge and gently put them into the boiling soup. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Not more. Any longer and you will lose the vibrant color from the beets and the kubbeh balls will start to stick to each other. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes:
My baharat mix can be found here. I added 1 tsp of allspice to it for this recipe. I highly suggest it.
Use a big pot so the kubbeh has ample space in the pot. Otherwise they’ll stick together and break up.
You can break the tasks up, make a big batch of the kubbeh and keep in the fridge or freezer. All you have left is to make the soup and throw them in there.
I’ve heard some people stuff the meat raw instead of cooked which I imagine is an easier way to stuff. Keep that in mind.