I. The Art of Making Kubba

Kubba is a dough made from bulgur, rice, or potatoes, usually stuffed with a spicy mixture of ground/minced meat and onion. It is traditionally shaped into balls (the original meaning of kubba in Arabic) or discs. Though not difficult to make, kubba definitely requires a certain amount of skill, acquired by practice. It is no wonder that of all dishes, kubba is the touchstone of a good cook. Skill is measured by how thin the shell of kubba is made. ‘Oh,’ it would be said, flana (so and so) ‘is such a fine cook, she makes her kubba as thin as onion skins.’ As for kubba of the novice, alas, it would be gravely reported, if you threw it from the rooftop to the ground, it would not break.