1½ cups dried red lentils
½ onion—chopped
2 cloves garlic—chopped
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
SOAK the red lentils for two hours in plenty of cold water, covered (the dried lentils will swell to around 3 cups worth of soaked lentils). DRAIN the lentils well and place in a food processor or blender. ADD the onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, tomato paste, salt and pepper. PULSE until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture holds together, scraping the sides occasionally. HEAT 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. FORM 24 golf ball-size spoonfuls of the mixture (about 1 heaped tablespoon each) and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. COOK 12 of the koftas for 4 minutes on each side. REPEAT the process with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 12 koftas.
Red Lentil Kofta
Delicious vegetarian protein based on middle-eastern cuisine
- 1½ cups dried red lentils
- ½ onion-chopped
- 2 cloves garlic-chopped
- 1½ tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley – chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
SOAK the red lentils for two hours in plenty of cold water, covered (the dried lentils will swell to around 3 cups worth of soaked lentils). DRAIN the lentils well and place in a food processor or blender. ADD the onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, tomato paste, salt and pepper. PULSE until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture holds together, scraping the sides occasionally. HEAT 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. FORM 24 golf ball-size spoonfuls of the mixture (about 1 heaped tablespoon each) and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. COOK 12 of the koftas for 4 minutes on each side. REPEAT the process with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 12 koftas.
