Kibbeh Labaniyeh

The kibbeh go in raw, into yoghurt that has been whisked with starch and brought to the boil, and they finish cooking there. The pot is stirred in one direction without stopping until it boils, so the yoghurt does not split, and then it sits on a low flame. The plate leaves the kitchen hot.

Filled or plain

There are two schools. In Aleppo the cones usually go in without a filling, with plain white rice alongside. On other tables they are stuffed with minced meat fried with onion. Some households add tarragon to the pot, which sets the dish apart from versions finished with dried mint.

Where to eat it

It is on the table in Damascus as much as in Aleppo and Homs; the dish belongs to the country rather than to one city. Its identity is a home-kitchen one, and restaurants put it out as the dish of the day. It counts as a lunch plate and is rare in the evening.

How to eat it

With a spoon, and rice or bread beside it. The yoghurt skins over as it cools, so it is worth asking for it hot. It is often confused with shish barak; that one is made of dough, this one of bulgur.