Lentil Balls

Name: Lentil Balls (Mercimek köfte)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: lettuce leaves, to serve; 2 lemons, cut into wedges; pinch of pul biber (Aleppo pepper) or other chilli flakes; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon köfte spice mix (available from Turkish or other Middle Eastern food shops) or ground allspice or quatre épices spice mix; ½ teaspoon köfte spice mix (available from Turkish or other Middle Eastern food shops) or ground allspice or quatre épices spice mix; ½ teaspoon köfte spice mix (available from Turkish or other Middle Eastern food shops) or ground allspice or quatre épices spice mix; 2 large handfuls flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, very finely chopped; 3 or 4 bulb spring onions (scallions), very finely chopped; 3 or 4 bulb spring onions (scallions), very finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves; ½ onion, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 10 g (¼ oz) butter; pinch of pul biber (Aleppo pepper) or other chilli flakes; pinch of pul biber (Aleppo pepper) or other chilli flakes; 1 generous teaspoon tatli biber salçasi (mild Turkish chilli paste); 1 generous teaspoon tatli biber salçasi (mild Turkish chilli paste); 200 g (7 oz) fine burghul (bulgur); 200 g (7 oz) fine burghul (bulgur); 100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) split red lentils, picked over and rinsed

Mercimek köfte

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
45 min

Appears in

Istanbul Cult Recipes

By Pomme Larmoyer

Published 2015

About

Here’s another vegetarian version of köfte. There’s an unforgettable version of this dish at Namli Gurme, in Karaköy, which overlooks the Aya Sofya and the skyline of Sultanahmet on the other side of the Galata Bridge. There are as many customers as there are dishes on the menu (and that’s a lot!).

Ingredients

100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) split red lentils, picked over and rinsed
200 <

Asia
Turkey
Main course
Vegetarian
Mediterranean
Istanbul

Method

Pour the lentils and 400 ml (14 fl oz) cold water into a medium-large saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and continue cooking for 15–20 minutes until the lentils are very tender. T