Lentil dishes are common for time of mourning, like shiva and Tisha B’Av. Their round shape symbolizes the circle of life in the Jewish tradition, from east to west.
I wrote about Jewish food and death here, and gave a recipe for majadra, lentil and rice stew that is popular throughout the Middle East year long.
Mercimek köftesi are Turkish lentil and bulgar patties that are common all around the country. To make the patties, the lentils are cooked with bulgar, sometimes with the addition of onion, tomato paste and spices, and then simply formed into patties. The patties are not fried or cooked. I’ve tried these delicious, healthy patties for the first time at my friend’s, cookbook writer Beyhan Çagri Trock’s house. She served each of the patties in a lettuce leaf, for ease of handling. Beyhan’s cookbook, the Ottoman Turk and the Pretty Jewish Girl – Real Turkish Cooking, is wonderful.
Although this recipe does not come from the Jewish tradition, it’s a welcome addition to any recipe collection. It’s nice to serve it at the Seuda Mafseket, the last meal before the fast of Tisha B’Av, and year round.
Turkish lentil and bulgar patties (Mercimek köftesi)
Course: Appetizers, SidesCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy30
patties20
minutes20
minutes40
minutesINGREDIENTS
1½ cups red lentils, washed
2½ cups water
1 cup fine bulgar
2 teaspoons dried mint
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon hot paprika
½ cup chopped parsley
Small lettuce leaves for serving
DIRECTIONS
- In a small saucepan, combine lentils and water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover with lid, and cook on low simmer until lentils are soft and falling apart, about 10 minutes. Stir in the bulgar, dried mint and salt and remove from the heat. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime put the oil in a skillet and put over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, mix for 30 seconds, then add red onion and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Push the onion to the sides of the skillet to clear the center and add the tomato paste, paprika and hot paprika to the center of the skillet, stirring just the last three until the tomato paste gets a roasted aroma, about 3 minutes. Now mix the onions into the tomato paste and remove the skillet from the heat.
- Stir in the onion mixture into the lentils and mix well. Add chopped parsley and mix again. If the mixture is too hot to handle by hand, let it sit for another few minutes.
- Put a bowl of water next to you, and with wet hands form long, narrow patties from the mixture. Arrange the patties over lettuce leaves and serve immediately.