Red Lentil Balls

Lentils are high in fiber, decrease cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and aid with digestion. Talk about a superfood! Although delicious in many ways, the traditional Turkish balls (Mercimek Köftesi) are a treat that deserves a special shoutout.

Time to read: 3 mins | Time to make: 40 min | Yields: 20 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (180 g) of dry red lentils, picked over and rinsed

• 1/2 cup (110 g) of fine bulgur

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons of red pepper paste

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

• 1.5 teaspoon of salt

• 5 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1 cup of parsley, finely chopped (one large bunch)

SERVING

• Lemon wedges

• Romaine lettuce

• Chili peppers

• Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Place lentils and 2.5 cups of water in the pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 15min.

2. Remove lentils from heat and stir in bulgur. At this moment, the mix will look soupy. Not to worry because bulgur will soak in all the extra water. Cover and set aside until bulgur is very soft, at least 15min.

3. Sauté onion in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Once it softens, add tomato, red pepper paste, and spices. Stir while cooking to bring everything together. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.

4. In a large bowl or baking pan, combine the onion mixture with lentils and bulgur. Mix with a spatula or knead with hands until it is all well mixed.

5. Add scallions and parsley to lentils. Mix to incorporate but be careful not to over mix it. Finally, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. With dampened hands, make golf size balls and optionally roll them into sesame seeds.

6. Serve on romaine lettuce with a squeeze of lemon.

Nutrition facts, per 50 g ball:

Energy: 78kcal | Carbs: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g