Chaldean Kubba Hamoutha-Inspired Lemon Soup

Ingredients

• 10 oz lean ground beef
• 1 cup cooked bulgur
• 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 small onion or 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. Mix half the ground beef with half the onion, half the garlic, the allspice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Knead it for a minute until sticky, then roll it into 12 small meatballs the size of a walnut.
2. Squeeze the cooked bulgur to remove any excess moisture and knead it with a pinch of salt until it holds together as a soft paste.
3. Flatten a tablespoon of bulgur in your damp palm, set a meatball in the middle, and close the bulgur around it, rolling gently until sealed with no cracks. Repeat, keeping your hands wet so nothing sticks.
4. Heat the oil or butter in a saucepan and brown the remaining beef with the rest of the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the bottom of the pan has browned.
5. Add the remaining garlic, then the stock and 2 cups water, and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Lower the kubba into the simmering broth one at a time and poach for 15 to 18 minutes, without letting it boil hard, until they float and are firm and cooked through.
7. Stir in the lemon juice off the heat and season with salt and pepper. The soup should taste distinctly sour, which is what hamoutha means, so add more lemon if it tastes flat.
8. Serve hot with the fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

Allergen note: Contains gluten and dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.