Kubba Mosul — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy torpedoed-shaped dumplings with a cracked wheat shell encasing a fragrant lamb and onion filling. These beloved Iraqi kubba from Mosul are crunchy on the outside and juicy within.

Ingredients

2 cups fine bulgur wheat
500g lean ground lamb for shell
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
For filling: 300g ground lamb
1 large onion, finely diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tsp baharat
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions

1 Soak bulgur in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture thoroughly.
2 Process the bulgur with the lean ground lamb, salt, and allspice in a food processor until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3 For the filling, brown the ground lamb with onions, breaking up the meat finely. Add baharat, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir in pine nuts and let cool.
4 Take a golf ball-sized piece of shell dough, form into a hollow oval in your palm, stuff with a tablespoon of filling, and seal into a torpedo shape.
5 Ensure there are no cracks in the shell. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, placing finished kubba on a tray.
6 Heat oil to 175C and deep-fry in batches for 5-6 minutes until the shell is deeply golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Did You Know?

Mosul is considered the kubba capital of Iraq, with families competing to create the thinnest possible shell around the most flavorful filling.