This is an easy, stream-lined recipe for making lamb kibbeh or spiced ground meat patties. My version is easy enough to make in minutes, and you can air fry the patties in 10-15 minutes. You will need to soak some bulgur wheat first, but that's mostly "hands off" time. Alternatively you can cook the bulgur in about 15 minutes. The lamb patties include plenty of onion and garlic as well as chopped mint and parsley for flavor. Cooked in the air fryer, the patties are considerably "lighter" than if fried in oil. They also are really, really good. I like to soak or cook a large portion of bulgur in advance and use part for the kibbeh and part for a tomato tabbouleh, or salad mixture. The combination of lamb patties and salad makes a nice, easy meal. Stay tuned for the tabbouleh recipe, which I'll post later. If you have any left, the lamb patties make great lunches later in the week, either with the tabbouleh, stuffed in a pita, or just "as is." Enjoy!
Air Fryer Lamb Kibbeh Patties -- Makes 6
1/2 cup of soaked or cooked bulgur (I use medium, see below)
1 pound of ground lamb (preferably lean)
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 - 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish
1/4 cup of chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
Put the chopped onion in a large bowl with 2-3 teaspoons of water and microwave it for a minute. Stir in the chopped garlic. Add the bulgur, herbs, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice to the mixture and stir them in. Add the lamb and stir it in until everything is well mixed. Cut a piece of aluminum foil to fit in the bottom of your air fryer basket and an inch or two up the sides. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Form six smallish, fat patties and arrange the patties on the foil in the air fryer basket in one layer. Air fry the patties at 360 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until they have browned and reached an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. Let the patties stand for a few minutes before serving them, sprinkled with a little extra parsley, if you like.
How to Soak and Cook Bulgur
Cover 1 cup of medium grind bulgur with 2 cups of boiling/very hot water, stir, and let the bulgur stand for 30-60 minutes or until tender. If you want to cook the bulgur, add 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of boiling water in a pot. Stir. Cover the pot, turn down the heat, and let the bulgur simmer--like cooking rice--for about 15 minutes. Fluff the bulgur with a fork before using/serving it.
