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Kibbeh is a Levantine dish of bulgur wheat and finely ground meat, often considered the national dish of Syria and Lebanon. The most iconic form is a torpedo-shaped shell of bulgur-and-meat paste stuffed with spiced minced meat, onion and pine nuts, then deep-fried until crisp. But kibbeh exists in many forms — baked in trays (bil saniyeh), shaped into discs, simmered in yogurt or broth, and even served raw (nayyeh). It's a festive, beloved dish across the Middle East with countless regional versions.

The keys are a smooth, sticky, well-kneaded shell paste (chilling it and grinding it fine helps) and wet hands. Keep dipping your hands in water as you work so the paste doesn't stick or dry and crack. Hollow the shell with a rotating finger to keep the walls thin and even, don't overfill, and pinch the opening firmly closed, smoothing over any cracks with a wet finger. Chilling the shaped kibbeh before frying also helps them hold together. It takes practice — even a slightly imperfect kibbeh tastes great.

Yes — kibbeh bil saniyeh is a popular and much easier baked version: you press half the bulgur shell mixture into an oiled tray, spread the filling over it, top with the rest of the shell, score it into diamonds, drizzle with oil or ghee and bake until golden. It gives you all the flavour without the labour of shaping and frying individual torpedoes. You can also air-fry shaped kibbeh for a lighter result, though deep-frying gives the crispest shell.

Lamb is the most traditional, though beef (or a lamb-beef mix) is very common and widely used. For the shell, you want very lean meat ground fine so it binds smoothly with the bulgur; the filling uses a slightly fattier mince for juiciness, cooked with onion, warm spices and toasted pine nuts. Some regions add a little minced meat fat to the filling for richness. There are also vegetarian kibbeh made with pumpkin or potato instead of meat in the shell.

Fine bulgur (No. 1 grade) is parboiled, dried and finely cracked wheat — small enough to soak quickly and bind into a smooth paste for the kibbeh shell. It's essential to the texture, so it's worth buying the fine grade at a Middle Eastern shop (coarse bulgur won't form a smooth shell). Soak it just until softened and squeeze out the water before kneading. There's no perfect substitute, though very fine bulgur is the one ingredient most worth seeking out for authentic kibbeh.