Turkish Lentil Balls

 

Lentil balls (mercimek köftesi) are a simple vegan dish from Turkey which is perfect for many occasions. They can be an appetizer or a snack, they are eaten cold and can be stored in the fridge. 

INGREDIENTS

• 175 g (200 ml) dry red lentils
• 400 ml water 
• 1 to 2 water ratio between lentil and water is important for the final consistency of the dish, since after boiling the lentils there is no extra cooking in which regulate the water content
• 80 g fine bulgur 
• there are many types of bulgur wheat. You want the fine one. If you bu a Turkish brand, you should read köftelik bulgur on the bad
• 3 Tbsp olive oil 
• 50 g tomato paste
• 25 g Turkish red pepper paste (acı biber salçası)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• parsley to taste, chopped 
• You can use other aromatic herbs to taste if you prefer
• salt and pepper

TO SERVE

1 lemon, lettuce leaves

Here are the basic ingredients. If you want to experiment like we do sometimes, you can substitute quinoa for bulgur wheat (see above). You will end up with a looser consistency though.

Add water to lentils and bring to a simmer over low/medium eat for about 20 mins, until the lentils are fallen apart. Then turn off the heat, add the bulgur, and let it cool (note that if you want to use quinoa it is better to add that together with the lentils). The mixture will absorb all the water.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions on a pan with some olive oil. When everything is cooked, mix the lentil, bulgur, onions, tomato paste, spices and herbs. Basically everything except lemon and lettuce. Also, note the the mixing is done when everything is cool. You don't want to cook the herbs.

The last step is to shape the mix into oblong balls (like the meaty Turkish köfte). This is done by simply squeezing a handful of the mixture in your palm. Once done they are ready to be eaten, or stored in the fridge. When eating, squeeze some lemon juice on top, and wrap them in a lettuce leaf.