Cig Kofte
An incredibly tasty finger food with fine bulgur, spices, pureed tomatoes, onion and garlic. Packed with flavors, this is definitely a hard-to-resist appetizer.
Video
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups fine bulgur yellow or brown
- 1 large tomatoes pureed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste domates salçası
- 1 tablespoon pepper paste biber salçası
- 2 onions very finely chopped or grated
- 4 cloves garlic grated or mashed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons isot pepper Urfa biber
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes pul biber
- 100 ml olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup parsley very finely chopped
To serve:
- 1 head Lettuce extra lemon wedges, and optionally fresh herbs (like mint and parsley)
- 1 lemon quarted
- ½ bunch parsley (or mint)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large tray, combine fine bulgur, tomato puree, tomato paste, pepper paste, finely chopped onion, grated garlic, black pepper, cumin, sumac, allspice, and water. Knead the mixture well for about 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together isot pepper, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Pour this over the bulgur mixture and knead until the bulgur softens a bit — about 10 minutes, pressing and folding the mixture with your hands.
- Add pomegranate molasses, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and salt. Keep kneading until the bulgur is no longer crunchy. This may take up to 40 minutes, so be patient. The mixture should become sticky and paste-like.
- Add in the finely chopped parsley and mix well. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Take a small amount (about 1–2 tablespoons) of the mixture and shape it into an oval, leaving finger marks on top. Wet your fingers or wear gloves to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the mixture is shaped.
- Serve with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs (like mint and parsley), and lemon wedges.
NOTES
To make it with meat:
Use 200g double ground lean beef.
Add it to the mixture after you knead bulgur with spices. Don’t add warm water when making çiğköfte with meat. Use a handful of ice instead.
NUTRITION
Calories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 81mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 686IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!