Kurdish Shifta

Kurdish Shifta

Shifta are meat and bulgur patties, close relatives of the regional kofta family. In Israel, versions with herbs and chickpeas in a yellow broth are well known.

Prep: 30 minutes · Cooking: 50 minutes · Yield: 24 patties · Difficulty: easy

The bulgur is part of the patty

Shifta has no shell around a filling: the meat and bulgur are kneaded together into a uniform patty. The bulgur needs to be soft but squeezed dry, so it binds the meat without diluting it. A short pulse in a food processor brings the texture closer to the traditional version ground together, but long processing turns the mixture into a springy paste.

Ingredients

• 800 grams ground beef, 400 grams fine bulgur by dry weight, soaked 30 minutes and squeezed well
• 2 onions: one grated and squeezed for the patties and one chopped for the broth; a bunch of parsley, turmeric, pepper and salt
• 3 tablespoons oil, 400 grams cooked chickpeas
• 2 zucchini, 3 celery stalks, 1.5 liters water and lemon

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Briefly grinding the meat and bulgur together gives a dense, traditional texture; don’t process it into a paste. Canned chickpeas go in for the last 20 minutes.

15% ground beef gives a juicy patty without a heavy layer of fat in the broth. You can replace some of it with lamb, but the flavor and fat will be stronger and the calculation should be updated according to the package. Zucchini and celery are an easy-to-find Israeli base for the broth; the mix of vegetables varies between families. Dried chickpeas need soaking and precooking until almost tender before combining them with the patties.

Method

1. Knead the meat, bulgur, grated onion, herbs and spices and form 24 patties.
2. Fry the chopped onion and celery in oil, add the zucchini, water and spices and bring to a boil.
3. Add the patties and simmer for 35 minutes; add the chickpeas and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Check for 71 degrees Celsius and balance the lemon and salt.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

Variations and tips

• A 15-minute rest in the fridge lets the bulgur absorb moisture and firms up the patties.
• Put one patty into the liquid as a test; if it falls apart, add a tablespoon of fine bulgur and wait again.
• A hard boil breaks up shifta, so keep a gentle simmer and don’t stir with a spoon.
• The stew keeps for up to 4 days refrigerated; when reheating, add a little water if the bulgur has absorbed the broth.

Summary

A serving is about 525 calories. See yaprakh and Kurdish cuisine.