Kubbeh Selek

Kubbeh Selek

Kubbeh selek (beet kubbeh) is loved in Kurdish and Iraqi Jewish communities and in Israeli restaurants. There’s no point erasing the overlap: the version here is a home-style Israeli one, with the same semolina shell and meat filling as hamusta but a completely different soup.

Prep time: 1 hour · Cooking: 70 minutes · Yield: 24 kubbeh · Difficulty: challenging

The beets build color and body

A combination of grated beet and wedges gives two textures: the grated beet partly dissolves and thickens the liquid, and the wedges stay toothsome. Start with a soup slightly sharper than the flavor you want, because the semolina and meat absorb seasoning. A deep red color comes from beets and cooking time; there’s no need for food coloring or a large amount of tomato paste.

Ingredients

• 600 grams semolina, 420–480 ml water, 2 teaspoons salt
• 700 grams ground beef, 2 onions, 2 tablespoons oil, baharat and pepper
• 1.2 kg peeled beets, half grated and half in wedges
• 2 onions, 2 celery stalks, 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 liters water, 120 ml lemon juice, 50 grams sugar, salt

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Fresh beets give good color and flavor; vacuum-packed cooked beets go in only after 20 minutes because they are already soft. The sugar isn’t meant to turn the soup into dessert but to balance the lemon and beets.

Method

1. Make and cool a beef and onion filling and make semolina dough as for hamusta.
2. Form 24 sealed kubbeh and chill or freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Fry the onion and celery in oil, add the beets, water, lemon juice, sugar and salt and cook for 25 minutes.
4. Taste: the liquid should be slightly tangier than desired because the kubbeh will mellow it.
5. Add the kubbeh one at a time and cook at a gentle simmer for 40 minutes. Shake the pot instead of stirring.
6. Check one kubbeh for cooked meat and a soft shell, and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

Variations and tips

• Gloves prevent beet stains but aren’t required for cooking.
• The soup is red from the beets; tomato paste isn’t needed.
• Keeps for 4 days and takes on a deeper color.
• If the soup is too sweet, add lemon juice by the tablespoon after the kubbeh are done; adding acid too early makes it hard to correct the balance.
• To make ahead, freeze the dumplings separately and cook fresh soup, so the beets don’t stain and soften them during long storage.

Summary

Kubbeh selek is balanced between earthiness, sweetness and sourness. A serving is about 580 calories. See also kubbeh bamia and Kurdish cuisine.