Kubbat Halab | Iraqi-Style Rice-Crust Stuffed Meatballs

Rinse the rice and add it to a pot with the water, turmeric, and salt. Cook over low heat until the rice has completely broken down into a thick paste. If the rice is undercooked, grains will remain in the dough and the shell will not hold together.

In a separate skillet, sauté the minced onion in oil, then add the ground meat and cook until its liquid has evaporated. Add the almonds and currants and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the spice blend, salt, black pepper, and parsley, then let the filling cool.

Once the rice paste is lukewarm, add the starch and knead by hand for 5 minutes. The dough should form a flexible ball that does not stick to your fingers. Cover the bowl with a damp towel; a dried-out surface can crack as you seal the dumplings.

Wet your hands and take a walnut-sized piece of dough. Flatten it in your palm and make a hollow in the center. Add a 5 ml measure of filling, bring the edges together, and roll it into a lemon shape with pointed ends. Seal any surface cracks with a wet finger; oil can enter through an open crack. Makes 20–22 dumplings.

Heat the oil to 175°C / 345°F; hotter oil can brown the outside before the inside heats through. Fry four or five dumplings at a time until deep golden and blistered on the surface, then transfer them to a wire rack. Do not pile them on paper towels, or the steam will soften them.

Serve hot with lemon wedges and pickles. When cut in half, the shell should crack apart; the filling should be moist but not runny. Reheat leftovers in a 180°C / 355°F oven for 8 minutes to restore their crispness.