Kolik — Lentil and Bulgur Balls with Fried Onions

⏱ 70 min · 🍽️ 4 Servings · 🧂 15 Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 200 g red lentils
  • water for washing, as needed
  • 500 ml water for cooking
  • 150 g fine bulgur (sold as “köftelik” in Turkish shops)
  • 3 piece onions
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red pepper paste (Turkish Biber salçası; mild or hot)
  • 1 tsp cumin (ground)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (Pul Biber)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • cold water for your hands, as needed
  • 4 piece spring onions
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 piece romaine lettuce
  • 1 piece lemon

Instructions

  1. Wash the lentils in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. Bring the lentils to the boil with the water for cooking in a heavy-based pan, skim off the foam and simmer half-covered over a low heat until they fall apart and have absorbed almost all the water; stir more often towards the end so that nothing catches.
  3. Turn off the hob, immediately stir the bulgur into the hot lentil purée and leave it to swell, covered, until it is soft and the mixture firms up.
  4. Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions, stirring often, until golden brown.
  5. Add half the fried onions with most of the oil to the lentil and bulgur mixture, along with the red pepper paste, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt. Set a bowl of cold water alongside and, as soon as the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead it with damp hands for about 5 minutes until smooth and evenly orange.
  6. Trim the spring onions and slice them into fine rings; wash the parsley, shake it dry and finely chop the leaves. Knead both into the mixture and season to taste.
  7. Shaping: divide the mixture into about 24 portions of about 30 g. Roll each portion into a ball with damp hands, then squeeze it in your loosely closed hand into an elongated ball so that your fingers leave a groove.
  8. Separate the lettuce leaves from the stalk, wash them, shake dry and lay them out on a large platter. Set the balls on top, scatter the rest of the fried onions over them and add the lemon, cut into wedges.
  9. Tip: The balls can be shaped a few hours ahead and kept covered in a cool place; they keep for two days in the fridge, and the fried onions only go on shortly before serving. If you like, drizzle them with a little pomegranate molasses (Turkish Nar ekşisi) or serve Pîvaz bi sumaq — Sumac Onions alongside.
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Kolik — Lentil and Bulgur Balls with Fried Onions – Recipe and image AI-created, editorially reviewed
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kurdistanvorspeiseveganvegetarisch

Kolik — Lentil and Bulgur Balls with Fried Onions

A Kurdish classic from Afrin in northwestern Syria: Kolik, also called Hevîra nîsk, are soft, orange balls of red lentils and fine bulgur, seasoned with red pepper paste and cumin and crowned with golden-brown onions fried in olive oil. In Arabic they are called Kibbet adas. Spring onions and parsley make them juicy and fleck them with green, and wrapped in a crisp lettuce leaf and drizzled with lemon, they are a popular starter for guests, served lukewarm or cold.

⏱

Cook time

70 min

🍽️

Servings

4

🧂

Ingredients

15

View Original ↗

Nutrition

per serving

521 kcal

Calories

19 g

Protein

20 g

Fat

63 g

Carbs

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Estimated cost~€5.50 · ~€1.40/serving
  • 🛒
  • 🛒

Instructions

  1. 1

    Wash the lentils in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.

  2. 2

    Bring the lentils to the boil with the water for cooking in a heavy-based pan, skim off the foam and simmer half-covered over a low heat until they fall apart and have absorbed almost all the water; stir more often towards the end so that nothing catches.

  3. 3

    Turn off the hob, immediately stir the bulgur into the hot lentil purée and leave it to swell, covered, until it is soft and the mixture firms up.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions, stirring often, until golden brown.

  5. 5

    Add half the fried onions with most of the oil to the lentil and bulgur mixture, along with the red pepper paste, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt. Set a bowl of cold water alongside and, as soon as the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead it with damp hands for about 5 minutes until smooth and evenly orange.

  6. 6

    Trim the spring onions and slice them into fine rings; wash the parsley, shake it dry and finely chop the leaves. Knead both into the mixture and season to taste.

  7. 7

    Shaping: divide the mixture into about 24 portions of about 30 g. Roll each portion into a ball with damp hands, then squeeze it in your loosely closed hand into an elongated ball so that your fingers leave a groove.

  8. 8

    Separate the lettuce leaves from the stalk, wash them, shake dry and lay them out on a large platter. Set the balls on top, scatter the rest of the fried onions over them and add the lemon, cut into wedges.

  9. 9

    Tip: The balls can be shaped a few hours ahead and kept covered in a cool place; they keep for two days in the fridge, and the fried onions only go on shortly before serving. If you like, drizzle them with a little pomegranate molasses (Turkish Nar ekşisi) or serve Pîvaz bi sumaq — Sumac Onions alongside.

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