Kibbeh safarjaliyeh or kibbeh bi'safarjaliyeh (sometimes kubbah), () is a dish of

Syrian cuisine Syrian cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine that traces back to ancient civilization in Syria and the region. Syrian specialties makes use of eggplant, zucchini, garlic, meat (most ...

that consists of lamb or beef chunks as well as kibbeh in safarjaliyeh, a broth consisting of

quince The quince (; ''Cydonia oblonga'') is the sole member of the genus ''Cydonia'' in the Malinae subtribe (which contains apples, pears, and other fruits) of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic bright golden-yel ...

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

juice, pomegranate molasses, and beef broth. It is a variation of

kibbeh Kibbeh (, also kubba and other spellings; ; ) is a popular dish in the Arab world and the Levant in particular based on spiced lean ground meat and bulgur wheat. Kibbeh is considered to be a national dish of Lebanon and Syria. In Levantine ...

, a common dish in

Levantine cuisine Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant, in the sense of the rough area of former Ottoman Syria. The cuisine has similarities with Egyptian cuisine, North African cuisine and Ottoman cuisine. It is particularly known for its ...

Place of occurrence

Kibbeh safarjaliyeh is an authentic

Aleppine Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

dish. The city is known for its many variations of kibbeh with this and others mixing sour with savory flavors. It is thought that there are over 58 variations from the city. While many of these variations have spread across the

Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...

, safarjaliyeh seems to have remained largely local to Aleppo.

Preparation and use

It is made by pounding

bulgur wheat Bulgur (; ; ; ), or Borghol (), is a cracked wheat foodstuff found in Egyptian cuisine, South Asian cuisine and West Asian cuisine. Characteristics Bulgur is distinct from cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that, unlike bulgur, ha ...

with ground meat into a paste and forming it into balls stuffed with butter and spices. The kibbeh is boiled before being simmered in the beef broth with the pomegranate juice, meat, and quince. Typically, the dish is served warm as an appetizer or first course. It also is primarily served in the fall and winter due to quince being in season and the dish's inherent warmth.

Etymology

''Safarjal'' (سفرجل) is the Arabic word for

, the golden yellow

pome In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Pome fruits consist of a central "core" containing multiple small seeds, which is enveloped by a tough membrane and surrounded by a ...

fruit integral to the dish. Thus, ''safarjaliyeh'' is derived from it.

References

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Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

Place of occurrence

Preparation and use

Etymology

See also

References