Red Lentil and Bulgur Balls
Appetizers Quick Recipes Simple Recipes Fasting Recipes Vegetables Turkish
These balls are similar to the potato and bulgur patties I posted last week, except I used red lentils instead of potatoes. This recipe was suggested to me by Adnana, a blog reader and happy owner of a mother-in-law from Turkey. I followed her instructions (I just increased the quantities a bit to make more and added my Turkish spice blend) and they turned out perfectly on the first try. The lentil+water+bulgur ratio was exact, giving me a paste that was easy to shape. They're different from the potato ones, being more substantial and filling.
Ingredients
200 g red lentils
100 g fine bulgur
1 small onion
1 large garlic clove
1 tablespoon pepper paste
1/2 teaspoon Turkish spice blend
1/4 bunch parsley
1 small bunch chives (about 10 g)
2 sprigs mint (optional)
juice from 1/2 lemon (3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons oil
salt
lettuce and lemon for serving
How to prepare red lentil and bulgur balls
- Wash the lentils well and put them to boil with 650 ml water. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat. Simmer with the lid half on until the lentils are cooked and almost all the water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes).
- Sauté the finely chopped onion in oil until softened. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add the pepper paste and Turkish spice blend and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add the bulgur, sautéed onion, and salt to the lentils. Mix well and cover with the lid. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pot and let the mixture cool down. Then knead well for a few minutes until you get a paste.
- Add the chopped herbs and lemon juice. Knead for another minute while tasting the mixture for salt and lemon.
- Form round or elongated patties. Arrange on a platter lined with lettuce. Serve the patties wrapped in lettuce leaves and drizzled with lemon juice.
Cooked lentils
10 minutes after adding the bulgur
The kneaded mixture with herbs
Related Recipes
Potato and Bulgur Patties (Turkish Kofte)
Stuffed Peppers with Meat and Bulgur
Bulgur Pilaf with Beef
Cabbage with Ground Meat and Bulgur
Cabbage Rolls with Bulgur
Bulgur with Chickpeas
Bulgur with Herbs
Bulgur with Herbs and Lemon-Baked Salmon
Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Romanian Meatball Soup (Ciorba de Perisoare)