Soak the bulgur in warm water for 10 minutes, making sure it becomes soft. If the grains still feel hard, let them soak longer. Drain the bulgur and squeeze out excess water with your hands. Place it in a separate bowl.

Rub the bulgur between your hands to break it down. If you don’t have a food processor, keep kneading by hand. Add the finely ground beef for kibbeh and mix until it forms a cohesive dough. Add your preferred seasonings (marjoram, cumin, ground cinnamon, seven spice blend, finely chopped or dried parsley), and half of a very finely chopped onion. Knead everything together until well combined.

In a skillet, cook the chopped onions with the ground beef, stirring until the meat is cooked through. Add spices (black pepper, cardamom, cloves, seven spice blend) and salt to taste. Once cooked, remove from heat and stir in the walnuts and pomegranate molasses.

Shape the kibbeh dough into small balls, then hollow each one out. Fill with the meat and walnut mixture, seal, and roll into small balls. Make sure they are well sealed. Fry the kibbeh balls in a deep skillet with oil until golden brown, then remove from the oil.

Rinse the short-grain rice well. In a pot, combine the rice with the yogurt and 1 cup of water (about 240 ml). Stir constantly as the yogurt comes to a boil to prevent curdling. Lower the heat and cook until the rice is tender. Add a little salt. Do not cover the pot to avoid curdling. If the yogurt curdles, a quick blend with an immersion blender will bring it back together.

Serve the kibbeh with the yogurt sauce. Enjoy!