Tastes of Israel & Overseas: Savta Savicha’s Iraqi Kubbah

by Aaron Poris, Senior Associate, Israel & Overseas

Growing up, some of my fondest memories are of my grandmother’s incredible cooking in Israel… the delicious colors and incredible smells that filled the kitchen… the love in every bite—and perhaps no dish brings me back to that little Ramat Gan apartment faster than my Savta’s Iraqi Kubbah. These meatballs, encased in a special dough and cooked in either a beet or squash stew, are a staple of Iraqi-Israeli cuisine; and will have everyone coming back for more.

Author’s note: I personally prefer it served over a bed of rice, but it’s just as great as a standalone soup.

Ingredients

Soup (Beet-based Kubbah)

• 4–5 medium beets, unpeeled
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard (beet greens)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt, or to taste
• About ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup oil
• Boiling water

Have the soup ready and waiting for the Kubbah to be cooked.

Dough Casing

• 1½ cups coarse semolina
• ½ cup fine burgle/Bulgur (also known as J’erish)
• ½ tsp salt 
• 1 cup water

Mix all the ingredients below to form a dough and let sit for 15-20 minutes. 

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef (20% fat)
• 1 large finely chopped onion
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp salt 
• ½ tsp pepper

Mix all the ingredients well and be ready to fill and form the kubbah. 

Instructions

Preparing the Beets

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Cut off the tops and bottoms of the beets and wash them thoroughly with water.
• Place the beets in an oven-safe baking dish. Add a little water, enough to reach about a quarter or a third of the height of the beets. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Roast in the oven for about an hour, until the beets are slightly softened but not completely soft. Keep the roasting liquids.
• Alternative method for cooking the beets: Place the beets in a pot with water reaching halfway up the beets. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beets soften slightly but are still a bit firm. Keep the cooking liquids.
• Let the beets cool down slightly. Peel them and cut into small-medium cubes.
• Chop the Swiss chard (including the white stalks) into medium-sized pieces.

Making the Soup Base

• Pour the oil into a large, wide pot and heat it over medium heat. It is important to use a large pot so there is plenty of room for the kubbah to cook.
• Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and sauté for about another minute.
• Add the tomato paste, sugar, salt, black pepper, diced beets, chopped Swiss chard, squeezed lemon juice, the reserved beet cooking liquids and enough boiling water to fill about three-quarters of the pot. Bring to a boil. (You can prepare the recipe up to this stage in advance).

Making the Kubbah

Pro tip: Portion the dough out into as many pieces as there are meatballs before making the kubbah

• After 15 min. knead the semolina dough and see if it is ready to work with. If it feels a bit dry, sprinkle a few drops of water and work it with your hands. You should be able to flatten it in your hand (like playdough).
• Make a flat circle (as thin as you can without tearing the dough) in your hand, take a spoonful of the meat mixture and form a ball.
• Place the meatball in the center of the circle and close the dough around the meatball, to create the kubbah. 
• Make all the kubbahs, about 30-35. Place them on a wet cookie sheet while making them, and wait till all are ready to be dropped into the soup.

Cooking the Kubbah in the Soup

• When you are ready to cook the kubbah (ideally as close to serving time as possible), bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Add the kubbah balls one by one. Try to let the soup return to a simmer after adding each ball.
• Cook the kubbah for about 20-30 minutes with the lid half-open over a gentle simmer (not too violent). Stir the soup gently from time to time to prevent the kubbah from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Do not overcook the kubbah, otherwise they will break apart!
• At the end of the cooking process (once the heat is turned off), I like to add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to give the soup a refreshing, tangy kick.

Enjoy your meal!

EXTRA POINTS if you make it and send me pictures at aporis@jewishdetroit.org