Lentil Pate
(Mercimek Koftesi)
1 cup bulgur, washed and drained
1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp cumin
1 lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Cook the red lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water on low heat. When there's a small amount of water left, add the bulgur. Stir and and continue cooking until all the water evaporates. Cover the lid and put aside.
In another medium-sized pot, sautee the onion with sunflower oil. Then add all the remaining ingredients, except for parsley. Also add in the lentil and bulgur mixture. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes doughy and starts to leave the sides of the pot. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Cover the lid and put aside for about an hour.
Mix in the parsley and using your hand, give them the shape shown in the picture. Keep refrigerated and serve on green salad leaves.
* This is a vegetarian dish.
9 Comments:
I fell in love with these at Zencifil, in Istanbul. Is kuskus the Turkish name for bulgur? And does it matter if the red lentils are split or whole?
Hi Lisa,
Kuskus (Couscous) is a small tiny ball shape pasta, Bulgur is grain that come in different sizes. I've already posted some recipes for them. You can use either split or whole red lentil to cook any kind of dish.
On the site, below the google ads on the right, there's a search box. So you can search just my site if "TC" is selected, it will help you to find any recipe that I posted:)
Thanks, Binnur. I seem to recall at Zencifil, some kind of sauce served with these lentil balls. What would you suggest?
Hi Lisa,
Lentil Pate traditionally is served with lemon juice on the lettuce leaves. If you wish to make a sauce, you may use zencefil, lemon juice and olive oil. But I wouldn't use any sauce for it because simple it is, better it is:)
Hi Binur
I was just wondering what you mean by "when a small amount of water is left". I'm worried I will leave too much or too little water.
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
The red lentil should be almost done with a little bit of water left. Do not worry about leaving too much water, after adding bulgur you will continue too cook until all the water evaporates:)
These are awesome - I usually mold it all into a shape like a heart and have guetss spread it on crackers. so delicious.
thanks for all of your wonderful recipes! i wonder, what other foods (if any) can you serve with lentil pate?
It is a meze (appetizer) which can be served with any kind of dishes or mezes:)
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