Mercimek köftesi
CourseSide dish, meze, salad
Place of originTurkey
Main ingredientslentil, bulgur, parsley, tomato paste

Mercimek köftesi is a lentil based cold dish or meze found in Turkish cuisine, also known as Turkish lentil balls. Being one of the foods that symbolize the importance of Turkish hospitality, it is often served in events such as 5 o'clock tea and special occasion meals in Turkish culture.[1][2] Adana province is specifically famous for this dish's popularity.[3]

Lentil balls are prepared from split red lentils along with tomato paste, fine bulgur, parsley, onion, and other spices. Proportions of ingredients and types of spices used may differ in different regions.

The preparation requires cooking of lentils in water to a mushy texture, followed by addition of fine bulgur which swells from liquid from boiled lentils without additional cooking. Onions roasted in olive oil, tomato paste, spices and herbs are added for flavor. This thick consistency batter is then shaped in a palm in a cylindrical form, and served with lettuce and vegetables on side. Mercimek Köftesi may also be served as a wrap with lettuce and tahini sauce, but it is then called Lentil Falafel.

American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) in 2015 put mercimek köftesi in a list of 7 dishes from local cuisines from all around the world which are considered to fight cancer, especially reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.[4]

Regional mercimek köftesi styles

South-central:

  • Gaziantep mercimek köftesi (or Malhıtalı/Maltıkalı Küfte in the regional Turkish dialect)[5][6]
  • Osmaniye mercimek köftesi[7]

Southeastern:

  • Diyarbakır Belluh[8]
  • Mardin Belloğ[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Çirişoğlu, Emel; Olum, Emine (2019). "Türk Mutfağındaki Fonksiyonel Gıdaların Gastronomi Turizmi Açısından Önemi". Türk Turizm Araştirmalari Dergisi (in Turkish). 3 (4): 1659–1680. doi:10.26677/TR1010.2019.264. ISSN 2587-0890. S2CID 209971735.
  2. ↑ Erickson, David R.; Lusas, Edmund W.; Nip, Wai-Kit, eds. (1989). Food Uses of Whole Oil and Protein Seeds. American Oil Chemists' Society. p. 273. ISBN 0-935315-23-3.
  3. ↑ Ahmed, Jasim; Uebersax, Mark A.; Siddiq, Muhammad, eds. (26 June 2023). Lentils Production, Processing Technologies, Products, and Nutritional Profile. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-119-86691-6.
  4. ↑ "7 Cancer-Fighting Foods From Around the World". American Institute For Cancer Research. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Gaziantep Malhıtalı Köftesi/Gaziantep Mercimekli Köftesi". Coğrafi İşaret Platformu (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  6. ↑ "MALHITALI (MERCİMEKLİ) KÖFTE". Kültür Portalı. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  7. ↑ "MERCİMEKLİ KÖFTE". Kültür Portalı. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  8. ↑ "BELLUH (MERCİMEKLİ KÖFTE)". Kültür Portalı. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  9. ↑ Özdem, Filiz (2005). Taşın belleği Mardin (in Turkish). Yapı Kredi Yayınları. ISBN 978-975-08-1029-9.


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