Lentil Balls (Turkish Kofta)
Lentil balls, one of the flavor treasures of Turkish cuisine, can be consumed as a healthy vegan snack or main course at any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils
- 1 cup fine bulgur
- 2 tbsp tomato paste heaping spoon
- 2 tsp salt
Oily Sauce:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 big onion
- 6-7 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp pepper paste heaping spoon (or sub with more tomato paste)
- 2 tbsp pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cumin
Other Ingredients:
- ½ bunch scallions 4-5 stalks of scallion
- ½ bunch parsley
Instructions
- Wash the red lentils well, put them in a pot and add enough water to cover them. Boil the lentils until they become soft. Cooked lentils should have the consistency of a thick soup.
- When the lentils are cooked, add the tomato paste, half of the pepper paste, salt and fine bulgur and close the lid of the pot. The bulgur will swell with the heat of the lentils.
- Add olive oil to a sauce pan and fry the finely chopped onions and garlics. Add the other half of the pepper paste to the roasted garlic and onions. Roast for a few minutes more.
- When you turn off the heat, add chili pepper, black pepper and cumin and mix.
- Once the pot has cooled down a bit, you can start kneading the meatballs. First, knead the lentil and bulgur mixture in the pot. (You can add water little by little and knead to the desired consistency.)
- Add finely chopped scallions to the mixture and knead.
- Finally, add the finely chopped parsley and the oily sauce you prepared and knead well.
- Shape the mixture into balls in your palm and place them on a serving plate.
Notes
Gluten-Free Version: To prepare lentil balls suitable for a gluten-free diet, use the same amount of boiled quinoa instead of fine bulgur. If you have problems shaping the balls, you can add a small amount of corn starch.