Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large baking potato
  • ½ cup red bulgur, size #1 fine
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried chives
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon 7-spice mix (available at Middle Eastern markets; cinnamon or allspice can be substituted)

Step 1

Boil the potato until very soft throughout; then cool, peel, and mash well. Meanwhile, soak the bulgur in ¾ cup hot water. After the bulgur soaks up most of the water, bite to ensure it is soft. If firm to the bite, allow to sit longer with additional hot water, if needed.

Step 2

After the bulgur is fully soaked, you should now have slightly more bulgur than mashed potato. Combine mashed potatoes with bulgur and the spices. Mix well and add additional hot water if desired. The consistency should be similar to that of American-style mashed potatoes.

Step 3

Spread the kibbeh batata on a plate, drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and serve at room temperature, or slightly warm, with pita bread and salad. Kibbeh batata is eaten by scooping up bite-sized amounts with pita bread. It is a perfect picnic food or working lunch. My version is vegan, though you can top it with fried ground beef or lamb for a heartier meal. Enjoy!