Turkish lentil kofte
You don’t have to travel in Turkey very far before encountering this dish; it’s popularly served as a mezze. And – here’s a quick language lesson – ‘mercimek’, Turkish for the red lentils, is pronounced ‘mer-ji-mek.’ So forget everything you know about how to say the letter ‘c’ or you’ll sound like a real tit.
Although the dish is found all over the country, it’s thought to have originated in Gaziantep in the south, near the border with Syria. Gaziantep is something of a culinary capital, home to some delicious dishes, the country’s best pistachios and awesome baklava too.
The flavour and texture of these köfte belies their humble ingredients; they’re light but satisfying and oh so tasty. In Turkey they’re served in crisp lettuce leaves with lemon wedges for squirting over. Traditionally they’re formed by squeezing a small amount of the lentil mix in the cook’s hand, giving a long, lozenge shape that’s clearly patterned all over with finger marks. We find indented rounds easier. If you can't find Turkish pepper paste, called biber salçasi, and a Turkish pantry staple, just hurl in a bit more tomato paste and extra sweet paprika… this won’t give quite the right flavour but will do in a pinch.
You can make the köfte in advance but they are prone to drying out. So cover them lightly with a dampened, clean tea towel and then in plastic wrap until ready to serve to prevent that happening. It’s best not to refrigerate them unless you have leftovers, in which case there’s nothing else for it. Refrigerating can dry them out too and make them harden although if they’re stored in an airtight container, then brought back to room temperature before serving, they should be fine.
SERVES 6
125g (¾ cup) fine burghul
185g (¾ cup) red lentils
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
4 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Turkish pepper paste
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp sweet paprika
4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large pinch chilli powder, or to taste
baby cos lettuce leaves, lemon wedges and radishes, to serve
Rinse the burghul under cold running water, then drain well and set aside.
Put the lentils and 500 ml (2 cups) water in a saucepan over medium–low heat. Bring slowly to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until very tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the burghul. Cover and stand for 15 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium–low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 7–8 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin and paprika and continue stirring for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir into the lentil mixture until well combined, then re-cover the pan and set aside until cool.
Once cool, season the lentil mixture with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix in the lemon juice and chilli, using your hands to knead the mixture well and adding a little extra oil or water if the mixture is too dry.
Take 1 tablespoon of mixture at a time and roll into balls, then use your thumb or a finger to make a deep indentation in each. Arrange the köfte balls on a serving plate and drizzle with the extra oil. Serve with the lettuce leaves, radishes and lemon wedges.
