If there’s one quintessentially Lebanese dish, it is Kibbeh Nayeh. It is the national dish of Lebanon, and Lebanon is internationally known for this dish, so much so, that when someone asks me if I make (or more importantly eat) Kibbeh Nayeh, I know that they’re immediately sizing up how Lebanese I am. But I have to respect this, because our version of steak tartare is a must-try item, and the king of any mezza table. While many American children weren’t fed raw meat on a regular basis (unless by mistake!), my siblings and I looked forward to savoring the taste of Kibbeh Nayeh, which was always present at special occasions and summer barbecues.
In my family, we approach this dish as purists: high-quality meat, minimal spices, and fine bulgur wheat. We serve it with warm pita, hot peppers, fresh herbs, and a spicy olive oil. Although it has traditionally been (and often still is) prepared by pounding the meat in an large stone jidan (morter and pestle) I’ve provided a more streamlined preparation method. As a last tip, make sure that you purchase very high-quality, freshly ground lean meat, as you’ll be eating it raw. Let the butcher know that you’ll be preparing it tartare-style, so it should be ground in front of you on the cleanest blade possible to avoid contamination. Request a small bag of ice to place on top of the meat so it remains very cold. Use it the same day it is purchased. 
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1½ pounds lean sirloin (95 to 99 percent lean), freshly triple ground to order
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium yellow onion
½ cup fine #1 bulgur wheat, rinsed (see here)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
6 fresh mint sprigs, for serving
3 scallions, ends trimmed, green and white parts thinly sliced, for serving
1 large white onion, sliced into wedges, for serving
3 green and red long hot peppers, sliced, for serving
⅓ cup hot pepper–infused olive oil (see here), for serving
6 large pita pockets, warmed and cut into wedges, for serving
Season the ground meat with salt and place it in a food processor with about 3 ice cubes. Process for 2 to 3 minutes until the meat has formed a large, smooth ball. Immediately transfer the meat to a large resealable freezer bag, and press down to release all of the air from the bag. Seal the bag, and flatten the meat from the outside so that it forms a 2- to 3-inch-thick rectangle. Keeping the bag flat, place it into the freezer, and chill it for 20 minutes, until ice-cold but not frozen.
While the meat is chilling, grate the onion into fine shreds and put in a large mixing bowl. Set up a small bowl of ice cold water for dampening your hands.
Just before you remove the meat from the freezer, rinse the bulgur wheat in ice-cold water and squeeze the grains to remove any excess water. Add the bulgur to the grated onions and mix together, seasoning with the black pepper. Dip both of your hands into the small bowl of ice-cold water, then knead the bulgur wheat into the onions with your knuckles until the two ingredients are bound together, keeping your hands ice-cold at all times.
Next, remove the meat from the freezer and the bag and place it into the mixing bowl with the onions and bulgur. Combine the mixture and the meat with your hands until the ingredients are entirely incorporated. Then, dip your hands into the ice-cold water (you may need to add more ice or cold water to the bowl at this point or replace the water entirely), and knead the mixture together so that it is well blended. Continue to dip your hands into the cold water, and knead and pound the mixture so it binds together and creates a smooth, moist, spreadable consistency. If the mixture is too thick or dry, add ice-cold water by the tablespoon and knead until you achieve the correct consistency. Do not add too much water, or the mixture will become soggy and stringy.
To serve, spread the Kibbeh Nayeh into a thickness of 2 to 3 inches on a large circular platter. Using the ends of a fork, make small indentations around the dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil so that it nestles into the small marks. Place the mint leaves on top and arrange around the mixture. Serve the scallions and white onion wedges and hot pepper slices in side bowls along with a heaping plate of warm pita bread. Set out bottles of extra-virgin olive oil and hot pepper–infused oil near the serving area for guests to add more as needed.
Kibbeh Nayeh should be served immediately, or within 30 minutes of being prepared. If you’re not serving it immediately, tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to plate.
Variation 
Replace the bulgur wheat with ½ cup cold cooked quinoa for a gluten-free version.
taboulie tip! Kibbeh Nayeh should not be eaten the next day, you can simply bake or grill any leftovers. (That is, if there are any!).
