Kubba Hamda (Assyrian Bulgur Dumpling Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 cups fine (#1) bulgur
• 3 tbsp fine semolina
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt (for the shell)
• Cold water, for soaking the bulgur
• 400g ground beef or lamb
• 1 small onion, finely minced (for the filling)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp baharat (or 1/2 tsp allspice plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
• 1/2 tsp salt (for the filling)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (for the filling)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped (for the broth)
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chopped Swiss chard or leeks
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5L beef or chicken broth
• Juice of 2 lemons (or 2 tsp citric acid or sumac)
• 1 tsp dried mint
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Before you cook

• Place the bulgur in a large bowl, cover with cold water by about 2 inches, and let it soak for 30-45 minutes until softened.
• Drain the bulgur in a fine sieve, pressing out as much water as possible.
• Mix the drained bulgur with the semolina, flour and salt, then knead in the bowl for a couple of minutes until it forms a smooth, pliable dough — add a splash of water if it's too dry to hold together.
• Cover the bulgur dough with a damp towel and set aside.
• Mix the ground meat, minced onion, parsley, baharat, salt, pepper and butter together by hand in a bowl until evenly combined; this is your filling.
• Chop the onion, celery, garlic and chard for the broth and keep them in separate piles on a cutting board ready to go into the pot.

Steps

1. Wet your hands, take a golf-ball-sized piece of the bulgur dough, and roll it into a smooth ball.
2. Press your thumb into the center of the ball and rotate it to hollow out a small cup, keeping the walls thin and even.
3. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the meat filling into the hollow.
4. Pinch the opening closed over the filling and roll the dumpling gently between your palms to smooth it into an oval or round shape.
5. Set the finished dumpling on a tray and repeat with the rest of the dough and filling until you have used it all.
6. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and add the chopped onion and celery.
7. Cook the onion and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
8. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
9. Add the chopped chard and cook for 1-2 minutes until it wilts.
10. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its color.
11. Pour in the broth, bring it to a simmer, and stir in the lemon juice and dried mint.
12. Taste the broth and add salt, pepper and more lemon juice or sumac until it's pleasantly sour.
13. Lower the dumplings into the simmering broth a few at a time so they don't stick together.
14. Simmer the pot gently, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the dumplings float and the bulgur shells are tender all the way through.
15. Ladle the dumplings and broth into bowls and serve hot.