Welcome back to Culinary Compass! Today, we’re diving into a classic, deeply satisfying Middle Eastern dish: Mercimek Köftesi, or Red Lentil Kofte. These vegetarian ‘meatballs’ are incredibly nutritious, packed with protein and fiber, and perfectly budget-friendly. They make an ideal lunch, appetizer, or healthy dinner side.
In this video, we show you the professional technique for perfectly cooking red lentils with bulgur, ensuring they bind together without cracking. We also craft a rich, savory sauce featuring quality olive oil, vibrant tomato paste, and the tangy depth of pomegranate molasses and dried mint. This recipe is a fantastic way to elevate your meatless cooking and introduce gourmet flavors to simple ingredients. Learn the science of combining pulses and grains for maximum flavor and nutrition!
If you enjoyed this deep dive into culinary education and healthy living, please remember to like, comment, and subscribe to the channel for more gourmet recipes and professional cooking tips!
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**FULL RECIPE: Lentil Kofte (Mercimek Köftesi)**
**Ingredients:**
* 1.5 cups Red Lentils
* 3.5 cups Water (Total: 3 cups for boiling + 0.5 cup later)
* 1 cup Fine Bulgur
* 1.5 teaspoons Salt
**Kofte Seasoning (Added to Lentil/Bulgur Mixture):**
* 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
* 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
* 1 teaspoon Paprika
* Optional: Cumin (to taste)
**Sauce:**
* 4-5 tablespoons Olive Oil
* 1 teaspoon Tomato Paste
* 1 minced clove Garlic
* ~1/4 cup Water
* 1 tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses
* 1 teaspoon Dried Mint
**Instructions:**
1. Rinse lentils and place in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook until tender, being careful to prevent boiling over.
2. Add the remaining 0.5 cup of water and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Bring back to a simmer.
3. Stir in 1 cup of fine bulgur. Mix well, cover with a lid, and let rest until the bulgur has absorbed all the moisture.
4. **Prepare the Sauce:** Heat olive oil. Sauté the tomato paste. Add the minced garlic. Add 1/4 cup water, pomegranate molasses, and dried mint, and mix well until the sauce loosens. Adjust spices as desired.
5. Add the kofte seasoning (black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika) to the rested lentil/bulgur mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Roll the mixture into small, preferred sizes. (Tip: If mixture cracks, add a tiny bit of water to aid binding).
7. Serve by drizzling with yogurt and then topping generously with the warm tomato and pomegranate molasses sauce. Enjoy!
Hey everyone and welcome to my channel and my kitchen. Today I’ve got a delicious recipe for you all. It’s my lentil cough recipe. I highly recommend you try it. And let’s get right to the recipe. I’m taking 1.5 cups of lentils and putting them in my strainer. I rinse them and put them in my pot. Now I’m adding three cups of water. Once it boils, I’ll reduce the heat to low and cook until they’re tender. Now, let’s be careful. Lentils tend to boil over quickly, folks, because they’re prone to boiling over. Let’s prevent that. We’ll cook them with care. My lentils are cooked beautifully. They’re nice and soft. I’ve added another 1/2 cup of water. So, we’ve used a total of 3.5 cups of water. Now that I’ve clarified that for you, we’ll add 1 cup of fine bular. First, I want to add the salt. After adding 1.5 teaspoon of salt, I’m adding 1 cup of fine bular. Let’s give it a good mix. I’ll put the lid on and let it rest. While the lentils are resting, let’s prepare the sauce. I’m adding about four to five tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Now, I’m adding 1 teaspoon of tomato paste. And I’m sautéing my paste. I’m adding one clove of garlic that I’ve minced. I’m adding about half cup of water. I’m adding about 1 tbsp of pomegranate molasses. And I’m loosening up my paste like this. On top of that, I’m adding one teaspoon of dried mint. From here on, you can adjust the spices to your taste. Feel free to add or remove any spices you like. All right, our sauce is ready. Into a bowl, I’m adding one bowl of eggs. I’m also adding one clove of garlic in there. And I’m mixing it all up. I’m adding one teaspoon of black pepper, one teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and one teaspoon of paprika. And I’m adding them. You can add cumin, everyone. I don’t use it because I don’t like it. For those of you who love cumin, it’s fantastic. Go ahead and mix it in. Well, you can roll the cough into whatever size you prefer. If you notice them cracking when you roll them, add a tiny bit of water to the mixture. That will prevent them from cracking. I’m preparing all of them this way. Okay, I finished one plate, everyone. We’ll have another plate, God willing. Now I’m drizzling some yogurt on top. And then I’m drizzling our prepared tomato sauce over it. This is how I’m plating it. Everyone enjoy your meal in advance to everyone who tries it. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and hit that like button.
Dining and Cooking