Sud Keebah

Keebah is an ancient recipe in which lamb stomach or intestine is stuffed with ground meat, bulgur, dried mint and seasonings, then boiled. It’s kind-of like a sausage, but way better.


Since lamb innards aren’t readily available these days, I offer a simpler version of the recipe, Sud Keebah, without sacrificing flavor. “Sud” is our way of saying “mock,” as in Mock Turtle Soup.


Sud Keebah
Serves 4


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground lamb, beef or turkey (Aunt Arpie says, ” For best results use lamb!”)
1/3 c. #2 bulgur
Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
Handful of dried mint, crushed
A little water to moisten


Directions:
1. In a small bowl, add the bulgur and 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, just so bulgur starts to absorb the water.


2. Combine the meat, bulgur, seasonings and mint, mixing well with your hands. Dip your hands in the additional water to shape meat mixture into patties, slightly rounded on the top and flat on the bottom -or – if you prefer, into meatball shapes. This makes about 12 to 14 walnut-sized pieces.


3. In a large pot, bring about 8 cups of water to a boil; add 2 tsp. salt.


4. Place meat patties in boiling water; reduce heat to medium and cook for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove patties from water.


5. Serve in a bowl with some of the cooking liquid, and sliced raw onions. A chopped salad and fresh, plain yogurt will round out this dish nicely.