Method

• 1.
  Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Stand for 1 hour. Heat the olive oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Add mushroom, garlic, thyme and baharat spice mix. Season with salt flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and parsley.
• 2.
  Drain rice and place in a large saucepan with potato, turmeric and a good pinch of salt flakes. Pour in enough water to cover rice and potato by about 3cm, then bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to very low, cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally to avoid rice burning on base of pan (rice will stick a bit to base), for 30 minutes, or until water evaporates and rice is soft and sticky. Using a potato masher, mash rice and potato until mixture resembles a dough, becomes sticky and pulls away from side of pan.
• 3.
  Line a baking tray with baking paper. Once cool enough to handle and working quickly with kitchen gloves on and a bowl of water for dipping into (see notes), divide dough into 18 balls.
• 4.
  Using slightly damp gloves, quickly shape very warm dough balls by using your finger to push each ball inwards to make a hole from one side, then stuff with a spoon of mushroom mixture. Close dough around filling and shape and roll balls into a torpedo-like shape. Set aside on prepared tray.
• 5.
  Heat the sunflower oil in a medium saucepan or deep-fryer to 180°C or until a small piece of kubba dropped into the oil sizzles. Working in batches, fry kubba for about 4-5 minutes, until crispy and light golden. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Serve kubba with tahini, amba and pickles.