Atakan ErtürkCommis
30 August 2026 Last updated: 30 August 2026

Ikbebet is a large stuffed dumpling from Mardin. It is boiled in water rather than fried. The boiled casing cannot be rolled as thin as one for frying, so it is left slightly thicker to keep the seam from opening in the water. After shaping, chill the dumplings to firm them up before boiling. Serve hot, drizzled with sizzling butter.

Step by Step

How to make it?

1

Cook the filling

18 min

Cook the ground meat in its own fat over medium heat, without adding oil, for 8–10 minutes, until its liquid evaporates and it becomes crumbly. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the salt and spices, then remove from the heat. Mix in the coarsely chopped walnuts and chopped parsley.

2

Knead the outer dough

20 min

Combine the soaked bulgur with the ground meat, semolina, salt, and cumin. Knead for 15–20 minutes, wetting your hands occasionally. Roll a small piece and press it; if the edges do not crack, the casing is ready to shape.

3

Hollow, fill, and seal

30 min

Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Roll each into a ball in your palm, press a hollow into the center with your thumb, and rotate it as you form a deep pocket with walls 5–6 millimeters thick. Add 2 tablespoons of filling, gather the opening to seal, then roll it in your wet palms to smooth the seam.

4

Boil

26 min

Bring 4 liters of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the dumplings 6 at a time, with 6 in each batch. Once the water returns to a boil and the dumplings rise to the surface, boil for another 8–10 minutes. Because the casing contains ground meat, it should show no pink when cut open, and the center of the casing should reach 71°C / 160°F.

5

Serve with butter

3 min

Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate. Heat the butter until foaming, drizzle it over the dumplings, and serve hot.

Reminder

Soak the bulgur in hot water for 20 minutes. Let the filling cool completely, then refrigerate the sealed dumplings for 1 hour before boiling; warm dumplings may open at the seams in boiling water.

Nutritional Values · 1 serving

Values are estimates
630 kcalCalories
27 gProtein
63 gCarbohydrate
30 gFat
15 gFiber
2.1 gSugar
780 mgSodium
11 gSaturated Fat
Protein 17% Carbohydrate 40% Fat 43%
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