Actually, she got this recipe from the newspaper, but we’ll call it hers.

2 lbs. cracked wheat

4 onions

2 green hot peppers (jalapeños?)

4 sprigs fresh mint, or 1 tsp. dried mint

4 sprigs fresh sweet basil, or 1 tsp. dried

salt and black pepper, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. cumin

2 lbs. ground beef

Wash the cracked wheat at least once; soak for about 15 minutes and drain well. Set aside.

Process (I’m guessing in a food processor) onions, peppers, mint and basil. Add seasonings. Blend mixture into ground beef, then set aside about ½ lb. for later use.

Add soaked wheat, one handful at a time (squeezing out the excess water) to the meat and knead thoroughly. If mixture appears too dry, add a small amount of water.

Sauté the ½ lb. that was set aside in a small amount of butter. Cool.
Working with wet hands, shape the rest of the mixture into 24 balls. Bore a hole about halfway through each ball with fingers and stuff approximately 1 tsp. of the fried meat into it (do not try to put too much fried meat into the hole or the ball will crack). Close up the hole and shape each patty into a disc shape.
Heat cooking oil in a skillet and deep-fry.