Golden and crisp rice dumplings, crunch on the outside with meaty stuffings, these Iraqi specialty types of kibbeh called kubbat halab are an absolute addictive!
What is kubbat halab?
The exact translation of kubbat halab, means “Aleppo’s dumplings” which one might assume that it’s a Syrian dish , hence “Alleppo” city is mentioned, but frankly it is a dish that is originated and very popular in Iraq. There might be a similar dish in Syria that i might not heard of , but as far as this recipe today , it is for the famous Iraqi kubbat halab.
Sometimes they call it “yellow kubba” or ” rice kubba ” as well.
It is basically a dough made of turmeric rice, stuffed with meat (usually beef or lamb or a mix of both). Then fried to perfection.
It is one of these appetizers that are reserved for special occasions or festivals. In my family it is usually in Ramadan we make it for Iftar.
This recipe is for Vegan Kubbat halab , you will need few ingredients :
Kubbat halab Recipe Ingredients:
- Rice: best rice to choose is a white rice variety that tends to be sticky, I am using basmati rice which works well if prepped in the right way for the kubba.
- Turmeric powder: used to give yellow color to the rice , as it’s know as the yellow kubba.
- Vegan mince: am using a store-bought Vegan mince made of soy protein. You can use any vegan mince brand you like.
- Onion
- Olive oil
- Parsley
- Spices : Lebanese 7 spices blend
- Salt & pepper.
- Oil: for frying the kubba
Making the rice dough:
- Prepping the rice: rinse the rice under cold water several times till the water runs clear. Then soak it in water for 2 hours.
- Cooking the rice: transfer the soaked and drained rice to a pot, and add enough water to cover it , add turmeric powder and salt . let it boil then cover the pot and let it simmer till fully cooked.
- Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a food grinder if using one, or a food processor or you can use a potato masher to mash it (while it’s still hot) and then knead it by hand into a dough.
- Roll the dough into medium size balls and keep them in a pre-oiled tray. Set them aside ready for the filling.
Making the filling:
- Preheat a pan, and add olive oil , then chopped onion. Add the vegan mince and the spices and mix.
- The vegan mince I am using comes pre-seasoned, therefore am not adding many spices to it. Taste it after cooking and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Once cooked, let it cool to room temperature before adding the chopped parsley, so it won’t lose its vibrant green color.
Making kubbat halab:
The hardest part is probably making the actual kubba, especially if it’s your first time. I remember my first time making it, it took me hours to stuff the dough, and don’t make me start on the shapes of my giants kubba that ive ended up with, but you will get the hang of it once you make it more often.
If you perfect the dough, then stuffing it and shaping it will be easier, therefore the most important part is perfecting the rice dough.
Have a bowl with cold water nearby, to wet your hands slightly while handling the rice dough.
Similar to making/stuffing burgul kibbeh , take a rice dough ball and with your finger press gently in the middle to form a cavity and keep turning gently till the sides are thin but not too thin to break. Once you have shaped it ,add the filling , then gently while wetting your hand with water begin to close, form and shape into an oval shape.
How to store and freeze kubba?
After frying the kubba, it can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for a couple of days. Can be reheated in the oven, but it won’t be crispy or crunchy as when it is freshly prepared.
To freeze the kubba, after you fill and shape it into oval shapes, layer it on a tray and pop it in the freezer overnight. Next day you just need to put it in a freezer/zipper bag and can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.
To cook the frozen kubba, take it out from the freezer, and DON’T thaw it, just heat your oil and pop it in the hot oil to fry.
How to serve kubbat halab:
It is served as an appetizer, alongside ketchup and pickles, especially during Ramadan for Iftar.
Can be made into a sandwich as well, with tomatoes and add your favorite sauce.
Recommended Arabic Vegan recipes to try:
Vegan Kubbat Halab Recipe
Ingredients
Rice dough ingredients:
- 2 cups white basmati rice rinsed
- 2½ cup water
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 tsp sea salt
Filling ingredients
- 250 g vegan mince
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp 7 spices blend
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- oil for frying
Instructions
Prepping the filling:
- Heat a pan on the stovetop and add olive oil, add chopped onion, and cook till translucent.
- Add Vegan mince, spices, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Once cooked, turn the heat off and let it cool to room temperature then add the chopped parsley and mix.
Making the rice dough
- Soak the rice after rinsing for 2 hours.
- Transfer the soaked rice to a pan, and add the water, turmeric, and salt. Let it boil, lower the heat and let it simmer, covered for 10 minutes til cooked through.
- Once cooked, transfer to a food processor to form a dough.
- Wet your hands and take a small amount from the dough and form it into a ball.
- Place the dough balls in a pre oiled tray and set a side.
Making the kubba
- Take a rice dough ball, and with your finger press gently in the middle to form a cavity and keep turning gently till the sides are thin but not too thin to break. Once you have shaped it, add a tbsp of the filling (more or less depending on your kubba size), then gently while wetting your hand with water begin to close, form and shape into an oval shape.
- Do the same till all the dough balls are formed into kubba.
- Preheat a deep frying pan and add frying oil to heat.
- Once the oil is heated and ready for frying. Add your kubba, one at a time , and make sure not to crowd the pan with too many kubba as they tend to stick to each other.
- Let it fry for 5 minutes and turn it so it cooks on all sides, till its golden crispy.
- Remove from the pan and let drain excess oil on a kitchen paper towel.
- Once all kubba is fried, serve and enjoy.
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