← Nouns Cooking · Lebanese & Turkish

Ingredients

• 170 g Red lentils, rinsed
• 600 ml Water
• 170 g fine bulgur
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 1 tbsp Turkish pepper paste (biber salçası)
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Pul biber (Aleppo-style pepper flakes)
• 1 tsp Dried mint
• 1 tsp Salt
• 5 Spring onion, finely chopped
• 30 g Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 romaine or little gem lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 Lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp Pomegranate molasses (optional)

Method

1. Simmer the lentils in the water for 15–18 min, stirring now and then, until they collapse into a thick mush and most of the water is absorbed.
2. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the bulgur, cover and leave for 15 min so the bulgur soaks up the moisture.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 8–10 min until soft and golden. Stir in the tomato paste and pepper paste for 1–2 min.
4. Tip the onion mixture into the lentils with the cumin, pul biber, mint and salt. When cool enough to handle, knead for 2–3 min until it holds together, then work in the spring onions and parsley.
5. Squeeze walnut-sized pieces in your fist to make little ridged fingers.
6. Serve in lettuce leaves with lemon wedges and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Tips

• If the mix is too dry to shape, knead in a splash of warm water; if too wet, add a spoon of bulgur and wait 5 min.
• They keep in the fridge for 2 days and taste even better the next day.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Turkey’s For Life The Mediterranean Dish