Meatballs and kebabs
Without ground meat, the bulgur shell needs semolina and flour to hold together, so it must be kneaded longer than a meat-filled version. Green lentils replace the meat in the filling; cook them until they hold their shape, then sauté them with onion and walnuts to remove excess moisture. Both the dough and filling are plant-based, so these dumplings are suitable for vegan meals.
Rinse the green lentils and bring them to a boil in 600 ml water. Reduce the heat and cook for 20–25 minutes. Drain them when they are tender but still hold their shape; overcooked lentils will turn the filling to mush.
Sauté the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 8 minutes, until the edges begin to color. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the drained lentils, salt, cumin, and mint; cook for 4–5 minutes, until no liquid remains in the pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the coarsely broken walnuts and chopped parsley.
Combine the hydrated bulgur with the semolina, flour, pepper paste, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Knead for 15–20 minutes, wetting your hands occasionally. The meat-free shell needs longer kneading than a meat-filled one; it is ready when a piece pressed in your palm has no cracks at the edges.
Take 40 g portions of the mixture. Press a hollow into the center with your index finger, rotating the piece in your palm to form a shell with 3–4 mm-thick walls. Add one 5 ml measure of filling, seal the opening, and shape the ends into points. This makes 24 dumplings.
Heat the oil in a deep pot to 170–175°C / 340–345°F. Fry the dumplings in batches of 4–5 for 4–5 minutes, until the shells are deep golden brown and crisp. Transfer them to paper towels. Do not crowd the pot; the oil will cool and the shells will absorb it.
Soak the bulgur in hot water for 20 minutes, let the filling cool completely, and refrigerate the sealed dumplings for 30 minutes before frying. Warm filling softens the shell, which can split in the oil.
Dış harcı yoğururken elleri ılık suyla ıslatmak çatlamayı önlüyor. Oyarken de hamuru ince tutun, kalın kabuk kızartırken içi çiğ bırakıyor. İç harcı soğutup doldurmak da gerekiyor, sıcak harç dış bulgur kabuğunu yumuşatıp oyarken deliyor.
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