Cig Kofte

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 cups of bulgur for “Cig Köfte”, finely ground, total approx. 300 g
• n. B. water
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp paprika paste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped
• salt and pepper
• e.g. chili powder, hot (at least 1 tsp)
• 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• some lemon juice
• n.e. salad (e.g. iceberg lettuce)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

spicy bulgur meatballs, vegan version

Pour hot water over the bulgur (just enough to cover), cover, and let it swell. In the meantime, grate the onions and chop the parsley. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and knead well. Kneading is a very time-consuming process—it should take about 20 minutes. Kneading makes the bulgur very fine, allowing you to form delicious meatballs. Tip: Place the ingredients in a food processor and let the machine do the work. Then do the rest, the final kneading, by hand. Serving suggestion (traditional): Serve cig kofte with fresh, crisp lettuce leaves so that you can wrap your meatball in them. The freshness of the lettuce leaves balances out the spiciness of the cig kofte. A few drops of lemon juice or pomegranate syrup on top—delicious! This recipe originated in southeastern Turkey. There, it is traditionally prepared by men because kneading is a very strenuous activity. In addition, they are actually prepared with beef tartare – but the vegetarian version is healthier.