Mercimek Köftesi (Red lentil balls)

for those of you who want to enjoy a vegetarian meatball .. This one you should try ... red lentils (meat) balls. It's also a favorite here in Turkey. You can eat it beside börek (pastry) or other favorite pide. Check out the recipe and will definitely become your favorite too.

makes 25 ~ 30 balls

Ingredients:
 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
 1 cup fine bulgur
 1 medium onion, finely chopped
 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 ½ tbsp tomato paste
 1 tablespoon chili paste
 1 tsp pepper powder
 2 tsp ground cumin
 2 ~ 3 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
 ½ tbsp chilli flakes
 100 ml olive oil
 5 ~ 6 gr green onion , finely chopped
 ½ bunch (± 20 stalks) leaf parsley, finely chopped
 aragula leaf salad or to taste

How to make:
1) Cook lentils with 2 cups of water to boil over medium heat. Once it's boiling, reduce heat and continue cooking until lentils tender (always check if it's looks less water, add ¼ ~ ½ cup only, you don't want your meatball too wet later). After the lentils soft,turn off the heat. Put in fine bulgur, stir and cover the pan. Let stand ±  30 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, heat olive oil, saute onion and garlic until fragrant. mix in tomato paste, chili paste and chili flakes. Stir a few minutes, then turn off the heat.
3) Put into lentils and bulgur mixture and stir well. Add pepper powder, cuminpowder, and salt. Taste it. Then mix in parsley and green onion, stir well. Oval shape with the palm of your hand.
4) Serve with lettuce or aragula and pickles.

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