Mercimek köftesi (Turkish lentil köfte)

Instructions

1. Rinse the red lentils in cold water, then cook them for 10 minutes in the 500 ml of water, until soft and well broken down.
2. Add the bulgur to the still-hot lentils, cover and leave to swell off the heat for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, fry the finely chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent, then add the tomato paste and sweet chilli and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Mix this into the lentil and bulgur mixture, then add the salt, pepper, cumin and Aleppo pepper. Knead the mixture with your hands for a few minutes.
5. Finely chop the parsley and spring onions, then work them into the mixture with the lemon juice. Check the seasoning; the mixture should be soft and evenly combined.
6. Shape into oval balls the size of a walnut, pressing them firmly in your palm, then arrange them on a plate.
7. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the köfte and serve lukewarm or cold on a bed of lettuce leaves, with lemon wedges.