Mercimek köftesi
Mercimek köftesi: red lentil and bulgur köfte wrapped in lettuce with lemon
No women's afternoon gathering in Ankara or Kayseri is complete without a platter of mercimek köftesi: little finger-pressed ovals of red lentils and fine bulgur, rich with onion, pepper paste, cumin and a big handful of spring onion and parsley. They're eaten cold, tucked into lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lemon, and they keep well for picnics and lunch boxes. Common mistake: draining the lentils; the bulgur needs all that hot liquid to swell, so cook the lentils until the water is just absorbed. Chef's tip: knead the mixture with wet hands for a few minutes after the bulgur softens; the more you knead, the smoother and less crumbly the köfte.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
To serve
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Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Simmer 7 oz red lentils in 2 ½ cups water over a medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring now and then, until they collapse into a thick purée and almost all the water is absorbed.
18 minStep 2: Take off the heat, stir in 6 ½ oz fine bulgur, cover and leave for 20 minutes to swell.
20 minStep 3: Meanwhile, warm 5 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry 1 onion over a medium heat for 7 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp Turkish chilli flakes (pul biber) and cook 1 minute.
8 minStep 4: Add the onion mixture and 1 ½ tsp salt to the lentils and knead with wet hands for 3–4 minutes, until smooth and holding together.
4 minStep 5: Work in 5 spring onions, 1 oz flat-leaf parsley and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Taste: it should be well seasoned and slightly tangy.
Step 6: Take walnut-sized pieces and squeeze each in your palm to make an oval marked with your fingers. Chill 30 minutes to firm up.
30 minStep 7: Serve cold on 1 head little gem or cos lettuce leaves with 1 lemon for squeezing over. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mercimek köftesi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of red lentils?
- Yellow split peas (soak 2 hours and cook longer).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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