MERCİMEKLİ KÖFTE

RED LENTIL & BULGUR BALLS

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of red lentil
• 3/4 cup of extra fine bulgur
• 1 small size of onion (finely chopped )
  
• 3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped )
  
• 1/3 bunch of parsley (finely chopped )
  
• 4 green onion (finely chopped )
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
  
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tbsp of hot red pepper paste
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• salt
  

Wash and drain lentils. Take it in a medium pot and cover with just enough cool water to cook. Turn the heat on high and bring it to the boil then turn the heat down to low. Do not add too much water. Watch it closely if water is needed during the cooking process you could add some more.
Turn the heat off when lentil becomes mushy. At this moment you may drain if it has access water. The consistency of cooked lentil should be thick. Add bulgur to the pot and stir. Cover the lid and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Take olive oil and chopped onion in a small skillet and saute it over medium heat.
Take the lentil-bulgur mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed onion, tomato paste, red pepper paste, cumin and salt to the bowl and knead it until well combined. Then add chopped green onion, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and knead again.
Place some lettuce leaves on a serving dish. Take a small piece of mixture ( about the size of a walnut ) and give it a shape of football with your palm and put it on the lettuce leaves.
Serve it with ayran and pickles.