Arnold Malham made this video in 2007 to share his recipe for great food and a great life with all his friends.
Enjoy!
Cooking With Mr. Kibbee
Making Kibbee is an art made perfect through years of family tradition, life lessons, longstanding friendships, and unforgettable stories.
Arnold A. Malham made batches of this traditional Lebanese dish —considered the national dish by some —for over 60 years of Sundays, cooking in his (or someone else’s) kitchen. A conservative guess estimates that Arnold made more than 3,000 batches of kibbee throughout the years. Many have eaten from his table and experienced his hearty hospitality firsthand.
For the Malham family, Lebanese kibbee is the glue holding the memories of the past 60 years together. And now, the Malham family wants to pass that gift on to you. In this video, Mr. Kibbee himself shows you the best way to make the meal.
More than a vehicle for Arnold to pass on his tradition and share his gift, this video gives him a chance to say, “God bless,” to the entire world—in his own way, with his signature dish.
Recipes
Kibbee Nayee
- 3 lbs center cut round beef
- 3 cups hard cracked wheat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil
- Wash and drain the wheat three times. Soak for at least one hour.
- Stir in onion, salt, and pepper.(Mr. Kibbee adds a few ice cubes to help soften the wheat.)
- Trim the fat off of the center cut round and cut into cubes.
- Run meat cubes through a grinder two times.
- In a large bowl, alternate layers of meat and wheat mixture.
- Run the mixture through the grinder.
- Massage and fold mixture into a large bowl. (Mr. Kibbee wets his hands to keep the meat from sticking.)
- Run the mixture through the grinder again.
- Place mixture on a platter. Top with olive oil and shape to serve.
Kibbee Hashwey
- 3 lbs ground chuck
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 cup pine nuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Brown ground chuck in a non-stick skillet on medium heat.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pine nuts as the meat is cooking.
- Add onions just before meat is fully browned and cover until meat is fully cooked. (Mr. Kibbee Adds more salt and pepper after adding the onions.)
Baked Kibbee
For baked kibbee, press nayee into the bottom of a foil pie plate, layer on hashwey, and top with another layer of kibbee. If preferred, add a thin layer of cream cheese on top of the hashwey. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Where to Buy Ingredients
You can find beef, onions, salt and pepper at your local grocery store, but quality cracked wheat and pine nuts may be a bit trickier.
Cracked Wheat
Arnold was very particular about his wheat. He always went to the same man: Ed Bishop at Bishop Taboli. Visit Bishop Taboli Products or call (918) 367-2270.You can also check your local Whole Foods Market.
Pine Nuts
You can find pine nuts at most Whole Foods Markets or Trader Joe’s.
Tips for Cooking
- Keep your hands wet when working with meat. It will keep the meat from sticking to them.
- Soaking the wheat for at least one hour is key. Soaking the wheat for less than one hour will leave the wheat crunchy and could potentially pose a health risk when ingested.
- Add ice cubes to the Nayee wheat mixture to continue the softening process.
- Baked kibbee can be frozen and stored for future baking for 1-3 months.
Arnold A. Malham
In Memory (1927-2008)
Arnold Malham started making kibbee after learning the ropes from his mother, Mama Rose, in 1947. After returning home from a stint in the Navy near the end of WWII, Arnold watched Mama Rose making the dish and thought to himself, “Hell, I can do it.”
For 60 years, Arnold made kibbee nearly every Sunday—for his wife, Sada Marie, their four children, six grandchildren, and hundreds of friends and acquaintances. Arnold’s kibbee expertise took him and his favorite grinder all over, including Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi, doing what he loved best—making kibbee, giving it away, and making people happy.
Some Arnold-isms heard around the kitchen through the years:
- “It ain’t hurt me. It won’t hurt you.”
- “You can always add more [salt and pepper], but you can’t subtract.”
- “It’s not good…It’s damn good.”
- “A lot of people just sit up and eat the hell out of them.”
- “Men like it more than women, cause…men eat more.”
- “People eat the devil out of it.”
- “How many people will this feed? Depends on how hungry they are!”
- “Thank God and God bless.”
A Memoir From His Son
My dad was 80 when I turned 40.
On the birthday card he sent me for my 40th birthday, he wrote, “You will always be my baby boy.” Reading those words one year after his passing puts tears in my eyes. Writing them here puts a lump in my throat. He was twice my age, and I feel, twice the man.
Before he passed away at 82, my dad, Arnold A. Malham, “Mr. Kibbee,” had done more, seen more, and most importantly, given back more than most. His strength of character has been and always will be respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Kibbee, the video, carries on his great stories, his recipe, and his methods for making the great Lebanese dish, kibbee. My dad lived to give, and this video does just that. It’s more than just cooking with Mr. Kibbee—it’s about sharing lasting traditions and unforgettable memories.
—Arnie Malham, Son of Mr. Kibbee
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Questions?
If you have any further questions
regarding Mr. Kibbee, please contact:
Arnie Malham
(615) 406-3557
arnie@worthdoingwrong.com