Day 169

Kibe (Kibbeh): With today's post, Brazilian week continues. Even thought I found today's new food in a Brazilian market, it curiously didn't have any Portuguese printed on the box. It was all in English, and the box stated that it was a "product of the USA." So why am I including this in Brazilian week, right? Well, outside of it being featured in a Brazilian market, Kibe is a popular snack in many countries. It's a Lebanese dish that branched out to Lebanese people in several locations, including Brazil. Kibe is basically a little croquette made from a mix of bulgur wheat and chopped meat (usually beef or lamb). The version I found was frozen and made from a mix of wheat and beef. I normally don't spend this much ($10) on a blog item, but I was really curious about these.

I decided to reheat them for dinner tonight, along with some TJ's Biryani Rice and broccoli. After throwing them in a 400 degree oven for 20 mins., they were ready to go. Visually, they reminded me of little chunks of falafel, which I love. I broke one open before eating, and they definitely looked like falafel on the inside as well, only brownish in color instead of yellowy-green. The texture was also somewhat grainy like falafel, but much more savory due to the inclusion of the beef. Honestly, they were a bit dry, and as I ate them I wished I had some sort of dipping sauce - maybe tzaziki? I also tasted a good bit of mint, which was one of the primary ingredients listed under the beef, wheat and onion.

After I opened the box, I noticed that they actually expired a few months ago - oops. Maybe they were dry because of that? Regardless, they were pretty tasty, and I devoured quite a few of them before stopping. I'd love to try a fresh version of kibe, so if anyone knows where I can get some in ATL, please let me know. If you like falafel (and aren't vegetarian), check these out if you can find them.