Vegan Red Lentil (& Bulgur) Balls - Mercimek "Köftesi"

Mercimek Köftesi are these delicious, nutritious, and very satisfying vegan bitesmade of red lentils, bulgur, onions, and lots of herbs and spices.  They are full of flavor, loaded with protein, and really quite substantial.  I often make a batch and take several to work with me for lunch, and most recently I brought a platter to book club to share with the amazing group of women that I read and socialize with every month.

First, I measure out 1 cup of red lentils and 1 cup of very fine bulgur (also known as "Bulgur No. 1").  Both items are commonly available in supermarkets that carry a variety of ethnic foods, and any Middle Eastern market should definitely have them in stock.  Bulgur No. 1 is distinguishable from its coarser bulgur brethren (that is, Bulgur Nos. 2, 3, and even 4) in that it is so fine that it can be used in recipes where the bulgur is not actually cooked, such as in Tabbouleh.  Here, Bulgur No. 1 is essential and can not be replaced with another grade.

I start by rinsing the red lentils really well. 

 

Then I cook the lentils in 2 cups of boiling hot water, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until completely tender.  Some water should remain in the pot after cooking.  Next, I turn off the heat and add 1 cup of fine bulgur to the lentils, stir, cover the pot, and let the ingredients rest together for about an hour until the mixture cools off and all the water has been absorbed.  In the meantime, I finely dice and saute 1 white onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes tender.  Then I add a teaspoon of paprika to the onion, saute for another minute, and set it aside.

During this waiting period I also measure out the dry ingredients --1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of red pepper (depending on the level of heat you want) -- and I coarsely chop up 4-5 scallions and finely chop up a handful of fresh mint and a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (about 1/3 cup each).

After the hour has passed, I spoon the well-rested lentil/bulgur mixture into a large bowl, and check to make sure it is moist. (It should be about the consistency of cookie dough.)  If it is too dry, I add a bit of hot water and some olive oil until a dough-like consistency is reached.  Then I stir in the sauteed onions along with 1 tablespoon of good tomato paste.

Next, I fold in the herbs and spices, followed by juice from half a lemon and some salt and black pepper.  Now it is time to taste the mixture and adjust the spices by adding more salt, lemon, cumin, or red pepper to taste.

Once the flavor is perfect, I form about 20-25 oval or round bite-sized balls, like so, and arrange them on a serving plate.  They should be served at room temperature with fresh lemon and a side of small lettuce leaves.  And if you would like to make them in advance, simply cover and store them in the refrigerator, and bring them to room temperature before serving. They are delicious on their own, with a squeeze of lemon...

... or wrapped in a lettuce leaf for a bit of crunch.

Red Lentil Soup with Homemade Croutons -- for Evren's Birthday

When my son Evren, who is away at school, called me from Colorado a few weeks ago and asked me for my recipe for red lentil soup, I knew right away that he was either missing mom's home-cooking, or he was a little under the weather, or both.  After all, red lentil soup has been one of our family's go-to comfort foods for colds, allergies, earaches, broken bones, and just the plain old blues for as long as I can remember.  Rich and earthy, red lentil soup (or ezogelin çorbası in Turkish) is a soothing and delicious soup that is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Plus, red lentil soup is vegan -- without trying to be -- something I truly appreciate!

So, since Evren is turning 21 today, I was inspired to post his favorite soup, especially for him. (Perhaps now he will read my blog!)  Here is the recipe.

First, I dice 1 white onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 large, juicy tomato.  I also measure out 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of good tomato paste.  I heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and sauté the onion and garlic for about two minutes.  Once the onion and garlic mixture is softened, I add in the tomato paste and the diced tomatoes, along with 2 tablespoons of paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground red pepper (Turkish pul biber is the best, if you have it), and I stir everything together over a low heat.

Next I add in 1-1/2 cups red lentils, which I've rinsed and strained, 1/4 cup long grain rice, and 6 cups vegetable broth, water, or a combination of the two.  (You can also substitute any other type of clear broth - whatever you generally like to use.)  I bring everything to boil and then cover the pot and simmer the soup for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

  

While the red lentil soup is simmering, I prepare my homemade croutons.  Croutons are only as good as the bread they are made from, and for this soup, we like a good sourdough crouton.  First I slice and dice the bread into bite size cubes, utilizing as much of the crust as I can.  About four to five handfuls of the cubed bread should do it.

Next, I sauté the bread cubes in sizzling hot olive oil.  I do this in small batches, turning the bread frequently until all the cubes are golden on all sides.  As they finish cooking, I plop the croutons into a small paper bag and shake it to remove the excess oil.

Once all the croutons are ready, I place them all in a bowl lined with a paper towel, and I season them with salt, some finely chopped parsley, and a bit of red pepper.

By this time 30 minutes of simmering should be about up, and the lentils should be tender and just about done.  At this point I add to the soup 1/4 cup fine grain bulgur (No. 1), pre-rinsed and strained, along with 1 tablespoon of dried mint, and I stir it well and continue to simmer it for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If  the soup becomes too thick -- and it always does -- I add more water or broth until the consistency is just right.  It should be roughly the consistency of pea soup.   If you like a rustic soup, it's ready to serve at this point.  If you prefer a creamier soup, blend carefully using an emersion blender, or in small batches in a traditional blender.  We like it right in between rustic and creamy, so I run an emersion blender through the soup for only about 10-15 seconds until it's the perfect consistency.  

Finally, I season the soup with salt and pepper, and serve it piping hot, topped with the homemade sourdough croutons, along with fresh lemon wedges and a simple green salad.  Red lentil soup - the perfect 21st birthday lunch!  Happy Birthday, Evrenim benim!

Lentil Stew, Sans the Meat

I've been making lentil stew with beef or lamb for years.  It's a delicious and nutritious family favorite.  One of my happiest discoveries since embarking on the VB6 plan is that my favorite lentil stew is every bit as good sans the meat!  Plus, it's packed with protein, and it's low in calories. 

I start with one white onion and one bell pepper, which I slice into thin strips and toss in a Dutch oven with a tablespoon of olive oil.  I let that cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers are just tender.

Next, I add a bunch of sliced carrots (about 2 cups worth).  I like my carrots to be rather large in this recipe, and I always cut them at an angle because they look beautiful that way!  Saute that for a few more minutes.

Next I peel and slice two large, ripe tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt on them to bring out the sweetness, like so.  I toss those into the pot as well and let them cook for a few minutes.

Finally, I add about two cups of cooked lentils.  You can cook the lentils yourself ahead of time, following the package directions, or you can buy pre-cooked lentils.  (Trader Joe's has excellent pre-cooked baby lentils from France, which can be found in the refrigerator section of the store.  That's what I use when I'm pressed for time.)  Pour in about 1 cup of water or vegetable broth, and season with salt, pepper, and cumin until the flavors taste just right.  If you want a little heat, add some cayenne pepper as well.

I let everything cook together on a low heat until all the flavors meld and the liquid reduces-- this simmering process should continue for at least half an hour, but the longer the stew cooks, the better it tastes!  Serve hot on brown rice, or my favorite, fresh arugula!