Mercimek Koftesi (Red Lentil Bulgur Balls)
Soft, spiced red lentil and bulgur 'koftes' shaped by hand and served in lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lemon — Turkey's favourite vegan meze, no frying required.
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Ingredients
250g (1.25 cups) split red lentils, rinsed
200g (1.25 cups) extra fine bulgur
750ml water
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp mild pepper paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1.5 tsp salt
crisp lettuce leaves and lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the lentils, put them in a wide pan with the water and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring now and then, until completely soft and most of the water is absorbed.
- 2
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the extra fine bulgur and the salt, cover and leave for 20 minutes so the bulgur swells in the hot lentil mixture.
- 3
Meanwhile, cook the chopped onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until golden, then stir in the tomato and pepper pastes and cook for another 2 minutes.
- 4
Add the onion mixture, cumin, pepper flakes and black pepper to the lentil-bulgur base and knead with your hands for a few minutes until everything comes together like a soft dough.
- 5
Once cool enough to handle, knead in the spring onions and parsley and check the seasoning.
- 6
With damp hands, take walnut-sized pieces and squeeze them gently in your palm into oval koftes, laying them on a platter as you go.
- 7
Serve at room temperature or chilled, tucked into lettuce leaves with a good squeeze of lemon.
Mercimek koftesi is the dish Turkish mums make by the trayful whenever guests are coming. Red lentils are simmered until they collapse, then fine bulgur is stirred straight into the hot pot so it swells in the cooking liquid — no extra water, no oven, no frying. What comes out is a soft, deeply savoury mixture that you knead with sautéed onion, tomato and pepper paste and plenty of spice.
The traditional finishing touch is shaping the mixture into little ovals by squeezing it gently in your palm, leaving those signature finger marks. Wet your hands with cold water between koftes and the mixture will not stick. If it feels too loose to shape, let it rest for ten minutes — the bulgur keeps absorbing moisture as it cools.
Serve the koftes nestled in crisp lettuce leaves with lemon wedges, pickles and a jug of cold ayran. They are naturally vegan, budget-friendly and even better the next day. The Duru lentils and bulgur plus Öncü pastes used here are all Turkish Online Market staples.
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