Çiğ Köfte

Çiğ Köfte (Spicy Bulgur Kisses from Şanlıurfa)

A famous raw-style snack from southeastern Turkey: fine bulgur kneaded vigorously with tomato and pepper pastes, hot spices and lemon juice, served in lettuce cups. The modern version is meat-free, though traditionally a small amount of raw meat was once kneaded into the mixture.

Prep

45 min

Total

45 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz (about 2 cups)) fine bulgur (#1 grade), must be fine, not coarse; do not substitute with regular rice or couscous
• •250 ml (1 cup) hot water, just-boiled, to soak the bulgur
• •60 g (¼ cup) tomato paste, thick Turkish salça if possible
• •60 g (¼ cup) red pepper paste (biber salçası), mild or hot, depending on heat preference
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• •60 ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
• •1 large onion, very finely grated, grated on the smallest holes; squeeze out excess water
• •2 cloves garlic, crushed
• •15 g (3 tbsp) Turkish hot pepper flakes (pul biber), adjust to taste
• •5 g (1 tbsp) ground cumin
• •3 g (1 tsp) ground black pepper
• •2 g (1 tsp) sumac
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
• •10 g (2 tsp) salt
• •15 g (¼ cup chopped) fresh parsley, finely chopped
• •15 g (¼ cup chopped) fresh scallion, finely chopped, green parts only, optional
• •1 head cos or romaine lettuce, leaves separated, washed, for wrapping
• •1 wedge lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Place the fine bulgur in a large wide bowl, pour the hot water over it, stir once, cover with a plate and let it rest for 20 minutes so the grains soften completely.
2. 2 Add the grated onion, garlic, tomato paste, pepper paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and all the spices (pul biber, cumin, black pepper, sumac, cinnamon) to the soaked bulgur.
3. 3 Begin kneading: wet your hands (this is essential so the mixture does not stick and so the bulgur absorbs moisture). Squeeze, fold and beat the mixture for 15-20 minutes, lifting and slapping it back into the bowl repeatedly. The mixture is ready when it becomes a uniform, cohesive paste that holds its shape when pressed, and no loose bulgur grains remain.
4. 4 Stir in the chopped parsley and scallion, then knead for another 2 minutes to distribute evenly.
5. 5 Wet your hands again and pinch off pieces roughly the size of a walnut (about 35-40 g). Squeeze each piece firmly through a gentle fist to form a smooth, almond- or egg-shaped köfte; traditional Şanlıurfa shape is tapered at both ends.
6. 6 Arrange the köfte on a platter and serve immediately, or chill for up to 4 hours. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
7. 7 To eat, wrap each köfte in a lettuce leaf, squeeze fresh lemon over it and eat from the hand. Optionally add a pinch of sumac or a drizzle of pomegranate molasses (nar ekşisi) inside the wrap.