Pumpkin Kibbeh (Kebbet Laa'tin)

1. Place chickpeas for stuffing in a bowl. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches; let soak for 8 to 24 hours. (Alternatively, place chickpeas in a large saucepan and cover with 3 inches cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 hour.)

2. To prepare dough: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pumpkin (or squash) and cook until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mash, then immediately add bulgur and flour; mix well. Mix in grated onion, basil, orange and lemon zest, marjoram and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. When cool enough to handle, knead well to combine. Set aside.

3. To prepare stuffing: Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas, rub off the skins and break the chickpeas in half. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chickpeas and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

4. Thoroughly dry the large pot. Add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add greens; cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the drained chickpeas, sumac, salt and baharat. Transfer to a bowl. Wash and dry the pot.

5. With wet hands, shape 2 tablespoons of the dough into a ball. Hold it in the palm of your left hand and use your right thumb to press into the center of the dough to make a little bowl. (See Tips.) Put about 1 teaspoon stuffing in the middle and close the dough over it. Shape the kibbeh like a football and smooth it with wet fingers. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and stuffing. After you have about half of the kibbeh shaped, heat canola (or corn) oil in the large pot over medium heat to 350 degrees F. (It takes about 20 minutes to heat the oil.) Continue shaping the kibbeh to make about 32 total.

6. Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels. You're going to fry the kibbeh in 4 batches. Add one-fourth of them to the hot oil and cook, turning once or twice, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Return the oil to 350 degrees F between batches. Serve the kibbeh at room temperature.

Tips

To make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips: Bulgur: This quick-cooking whole grain is made by parboiling, drying and grinding or cracking wheat berries. It can be fine or coarse--you'll need the fine grind for this recipe. Use it up: Make tabbouleh or use it as your grain-bowl base.

Sumac: The ground tart red berries of the Mediterranean sumac bush add fruity, sour flavor. Use it up: Garnish hummus or baba ­ghanoush; add to a tomato and cucumber salad.

Baharat: A popular Middle Eastern spice blend whose flavor can range from sweet to floral to spicy. To make Lior Lev Sercarz's Baharat Blend, combine: 2 1/2 Tbsp. allspice berries, toasted and ground; 2 Tbsp. ground ginger; 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, preferably Vietnamese; 2 Tbsp. rosebuds, ground; 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground; 1 tsp. caraway seeds, toasted and ground. Use it up: Mix into ground lamb for burgers; sprinkle over tzatziki.

To shape kibbeh: With wet hands, shape 2 Tbsp. of dough into a ball. Place the ball in your hand. Press into the center of the dough with your thumb to make it a bowl. Put about 1 tsp. stuffing in the middle; close the dough over it. Shape the kibbeh into a football shape, smoothing with wet fingers.