How To Eat Kibeh

The whole  family is seated around the table at yet another  family simcha.  We have sung shalom Aleichem and aishes chayil, gotten brachos from Zeidy, made kiddush, waited in long lines to wash, made hamotzie, and have taken a few bites of delicious challah.  We're waiting for the highlight of the meal.  We got it!  The kibeh is served.

 

Confusion takes over the room.  With all the different opinions and suggestions, the original and proper way to eat kibeh is lost. How do we eat it?  What anout those of us who don't know how?  What should we do?

 

In this article we will go through the various misconceptions and settle the divergence, once and for all.

 
Some family members say that the proper way to eat kibeh is to hold it from the point and begin eating from the rounded edge.   Sounds simple enough.  But wait, what about all those mushroom kibeh?  They don't even have a point!  From which side do we hole the mushroom? 

 

Others argue to hold it from the rounded edge  and start devouring the point. But the double-pointed kibeh (salad kibeh) doesn't have a rounded edge!  And the mushroom ones don't have a point at the top.  What to do???  I wanna eat it already!!!!

Let's explore the background of this delicacy.  Does anyone remember the days when there were only mushroom and meat kibehs?   Remember when Yehuda Leib had the brilliant idea of putting the salad INTO the kibeh?  So, we can safely conclude that the salad kibeh has no place in the argument.  Sorry, Leibish, it's out.

Now we have to decide based on the two traditional versions.  It's difficult.  How am I supposed to know?  After all is said and done, I'm no Yeminite.

 

As usual, the best way to solve a difficulty is to call Buby.  Hang on while I give her a ring.

 

Ok, we have it.  Bubby's ruling.  Eat it in good health.  Enjoy your meal.  And enjoy the simcha.

** For the sake of argument:  Both the meat and mushroom kibehs have at least one rounded end.  Hold it from a rounded side, and eat the other end.  (on the mushroom kibeh, it's always the other side J )

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