Etli İçli Köfte (Stuffed Bulgur Shells with Beef)

İçli köfte is also known as “oruk” in Turkey and in the Hatay/Antakya (Antioch) region where I am from, it is called “kibbeh” a word that comes from Arabic. İçli köfte is very popular in the Middle East and each country may have a different version of it. Even within Turkey or within Hatay, there are many different versions. This recipe is the içli köfte that I grew up with which my mother makes. I have posted another recipe “Stuffed Bulgur Shells” in the past however the shells had boiled potatoes instead of meat.

Since this version includes meat in the shell, it can be boiled instead of fried. I did both this time as I like both boiled and fried but if I had to choose, I would choose the fried ones. 

As this is a very time consuming meal, it is not made often. I think it has been several years since I have made it, although the last time I ate it was 1.5 years ago when my mother was visiting for the birth of my twins. She made it for us several times and the day before she left she made quite a bit for the freezer. Although, I rarely had time to even cook the ones in the freezer after the babies, they stayed in the freezer a few months. If using a stand mixer, the time to make this decreases dramatically. My 17 month old kids loved it so much that a couple days later, I decided to make it again. I prepared two batches of the shell and the stuffing and froze them. When I want to stuff the shells, I will just remove them from the freezer one day before and just make enough for dinner.

This particular time, I prepared the stuffing and the shell one day and stuffed them another day and cooked them the day after. Preparing ahead of time will save a lot of time. Although I am a big advocate of fresh foods and not fond of freezing at all, sometimes it is inevitable due to time constraints, especially with these types of foods.

The illustrated pictures show how the shape is given; however just for fun I did a different (easier) shape for the last four köftes. I also had a little bit shell dough left over so I shaped this into small balls and boiled them and poured some of the olive oil/red pepper paste/garlic sauce to make bulgur balls. See my previous post for “Bulgur Balls with Spinach and Garlic (Sarımsaklı ve Ispanaklı Bulgur Köftesi) ”. This shell dough also can be used for this recipe.

As mentioned in my previous “Stuffed Bulgur Shells” post, an easier version of the stuffed shells can be by making it in a pan. You would spread a thin layer of the bulgur dough on a greased pan, add the stuffing and cover the top with another layer of the shell dough, drizzle with olive oil and bake it. See a couple pictures below from a while back.

 

 

 

I also once shaped the shells like a scoop and fried them. Then the stuffing was scooped with the shells. See a picture below from a while back. 

 

 

The other version I tried was making them in the shape of bulgur balls and fried them and added stuffing and mixed them together. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture for this but you can refer to my bulgur balls post.  So as you can see you can be creative to make these.

I would like to add that the ladies who are expert in making these, like some of the older ladies in my hometown, are able to make the shells very thin. Mine were thicker than I would like but I think I am getting better at it each time I make them.

Enjoy with "Cacık" (yogurt with garlic and cucumbers) and salad or any salad greens. As you can see in the pictures above, we had them with the onions, garlic, radishes and arugula from my little garden as well as a "Shepard Salad" and "Yogurt".

 

For the Shell Mixture:
 

3 cups red bulgur or white (fine grind)

1 lb ground beef (95% lean)

1/2 cup semolina

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsp red pepper paste

2 tsp salt

2 ½ cups cold water

2 cup oil for frying (or as much as it takes)

 

For the Stuffing:
 

1 lb ground beef (95% lean)

1 medium onion (chopped finely)

2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)

¾ cup parsley (chopped finely)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black ground pepper

 

For Boiled Köfte Sauce:
 

2 fresh stems garlic (or dried if fresh not available)

1 tbsp red pepper paste

½ cup olive oil
 

 

To Prepare the Stuffing:
 

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink and releases its water. Pour out the water and add the olive oil. Stir. Add the onions and sauté until onions are transparent. Add the garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and the black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes and turn off heat. Add the chopped parsley and stir again. Let it cool. This can be prepared one day before and refrigerated.
 

To Prepare the Shell:

 

Using Stand Mixer:
 

Pulse the ground beef in a food processor several times. Set aside.

 

 

Slip the flat beater attachment to the beater shaft of the stand mixer while it is still unplugged (for safety reasons). Place the bulgur, semolina, flour, red pepper paste, salt and the beef in the stand mixer bowl.

 

 

Set the speed to stir and add water gradually. Once all the ingredients get wet, set the speed to 2. Let it mix good for 4-5 minutes and then set the speed to 4. Keep adding the water gradually as the stand mixer is running. Let it run for 10 minutes.
 

 

You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl in between. The bulgur dough should get soft enough to be workable (give a shape). Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cheese cloth.

Below is a picture of how the end result of the shell mixture should look like.
 

 

Manually:
 

Add all the shell mixture ingredients including the pulsed ground beef and 1 cup of water and start kneading. Gradually add the rest of the water while kneading. Keep kneading for 30 minutes (longer if necessary) until all the ingredients are mixed well and the bulgur dough is soft enough to give a shape. The reason for this length of time is because the bulgur is not soaked ahead of time. To reduce the kneading time, soak the bulgur in hot water for about 10-15 minutes. See previous recipe for Stuffed Bulgur Shells (İçli Köfte) .

When the shell mixture is ready, follow the instructions below to create the köftes. Below is a picture that shows how the process works starting from number 1 on the left side:

 

 

1. Take an egg sized piece and put it in your left palm (if you’re right handed; otherwise put in your right palm). Make sure your hand is dipped in water before starting to shape the shells.
2. Wet your right index finger and stick it into the egg sized piece and make a hole in the shell.
3. Make a half circular movement clockwise and counter clockwise with your index finger into the shell while it is still on your palm to create a thin shell (as thin as possible).
4. Fill the shell with stuffing and close gently.
5. Soak your hands in the water and gently pat the köfte to make sure it is smooth and any tears are patched.
6. The final shell should look smooth and intact.

While you are working with the shells, keep the remaining mixture covered with a damp cloth. As the mixture tends to dry out, make sure you roll each ball in your hands (make sure your hands are dipped in water) before shaping the shells.
 

If for some reason the bulgur dough is too soft and cannot be shaped, add some flour and that should solve the problem.
 

For Frying:
 

Heat the oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add the stuffed shells and fry both sides until they take a brownish color as shown in the picture below. This should take only a few minutes.

 

 

For Boiling:
 

Boil half of a large pot of water. Once the water boils, gently add several köftes depending on the size of the pot. Let them boil for 5 minutes. Remove gently. Drain and place in a serving platter.

 

 

Sauce for Boiled Köfte:
 

Chop the garlic if using fresh stems. If using dried, crush them. Mix the garlic, red pepper paste and olive oil until all ingredients are integrated.

Drizzle over the köftes. Also serve the sauce with the köftes.  Drizzle the sauce over the stuffing in the köfte with a small spoon after each bite.

 

 

 

Potato Fingers (Patatesli Köfte)

I am back. This is the longest break I have taken so far from blogging and hope to never do it again. This was actually not an intentional break but it has been so busy for me that it was so easy to neglect my blog and e-mails. During my scarce free time I have been spending more time gardening (unsuccessfully) instead of cooking, however, I hope to cook more delightful Turkish dishes from now on and share them with you all. Once I get better in gardening I also will share the fruit my labor with you. Even though last spring I planted tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, eggplant, onions, basil, dill and a few other vegetables, we have only eaten 1 small eggplant and some basil this whole summer. The plants are growing very well but the flowers and the fruit on them keep falling for some reason. I have one bell pepper and 1 cucumber that seem to have potential to be in our salad in the next couple of weeks unless the temperature drops in Houston. I have learned quite a bit about gardening with trial and error and hope to have better luck next year and cook with the fruits of my organic garden.

Now to our dinner…yes this was our dinner tonight. They turned out so good that both my husband and I finished all these fingers in the picture tonight including the garnishes. These delicious fingers were frequently made by my mom when I was growing up. There is also a red lentil version which also tastes terrific but the potato version is more common in Southern Turkey. So I took some tips from my mom during my recent visit to Turkey on this recipe. She adds basil seeds in it but I am not a fan of basil seeds so I left them out. You may garnish with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes or any greens you like. They’re best when they’re wrapped in lettuce and eaten.

2 cups finely ground bulgur
2 medium potatoes
8 shallots
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp red pepper paste
½ tbsp salt (or adjust to your taste)
1 cup hot water

Boil potatoes for 30-40 minutes and cool. Peel and mash the potatoes and set aside.

Place the finely ground bulgur in a deep bowl. Pour the hot water on the bulgur and mix until all bulgur is soaked. Cover bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a shallow non-stick pan on medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add parsley and turn off the heat. Mix well and let it cool.

Add the potatoes on the bulgur and pour the olive oil, tomato and red pepper paste mixture on it. Add salt and mix for 5-10 minutes until all the ingredients are well incorporated and soft. Pull a piece of the bulgur and potato mixture and squeeze it in your palm. Repeat until all the bulgur and potato mixture is used up. Garnish with tomatoes, parsley, mint and green onions. Serve at room temperature with plain yogurt.

Note: These potato fingers taste delicious when wrapped up in romaine lettuce while eating.

Fennel with Red Bulgur (Kırmızı Bulgurlu Rezene)

Before this meal came together I was not certain how it was going to turn out. Although bulgur is widely used in Turkish cuisine, I had not cooked with red bulgur before and had never incorporated any type of bulgur with carrots or fresh peppers let alone fennel, a vegetable with a strong aromatic flavor. Since there are only a few recipes that I know how to create from fennel I was nervous about the outcome. Nevertheless, the result was astonishing to me. The dish was so flavorful and delicious I enjoyed it tremendously. I think fish, lobster or shrimp would accompany this meal very well.

Note: If red bulgur is not available, regular (yellowish) bulgur can be used.

¾ cup red bulgur (fine grind)
1 fennel root (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
3 small carrots (sliced)
¼ cup chopped onion
3-4 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp cracked red pepper
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 cup water

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cracked red pepper, cumin, ground black pepper and cayenne to the oil and stir for 1 minute. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Add the fennel and stir well. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots and red bell pepper and stir again. Close lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Open lid, pour water and add the fine bulgur. Sprinkle salt and mix thoroughly. Turn heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir. Serve with plain yogurt.

Bulgur Balls with Spinach and Garlic (Sarımsaklı ve Ispanaklı Bulgur Köftesi)

One of my favorite snacks/appetizers is the bulgur balls with spinach and garlic. These bulgur balls have numerous names. The funny thing is that I did not know the name until I started to write the recipe and begin to think about its name. I grew up with this food, no question about it, but I had no idea what it was called. In my internet search, I found out that it can be called ‘Fellah Köftesi’, ‘Sarımsaklı Köfte’ and some other names. I have to emphasize the spinach and garlic in it, hence I am calling it ‘Sarımsaklı ve Ispanaklı Bulgur Köftesi’ meaning ‘Bulgur Balls with Spinach and Garlic’. To me, that is the most reasonable way of describing it. This dish is mainly known in Southern provinces of Turkey such as Hatay, Adana and Mersin. I would not be surprised if it is also known in Gaziantep and other Southeastern provinces where a very rich variety of food exists.

Instead of spinach, you may also use green beans with red pepper paste sauce. Bulgur balls with tomato sauce and garlic are also very popular. I will start with this as it is my favorite one and will continue with other versions of this recipe at later dates.

In Turkey, generally, this recipe is made in get-togethers and ladies tea parties. Usually, one person does not sit and make the whole thing; it’s a collaborative effort where a few friends or neighbors get together to make it. As you may imagine, rolling every single of these balls can be pretty time consuming if you are making them in large amounts. Having help does allow these bulgur balls to be rolled in no time. Back home in Turkey, these are made in large quantities and shared with neighbors and friends.

The last time I ate this at home was two years ago as a result of my request. Every year when I visit home, my mother would ask for my wish list. What would I like to eat? She certainly prepares my favorite foods first, such as İçli Köfte (Stuffed Bulgur Balls) just before I arrive and just before I leave. My mom never allows me to cook or even help her while I am on vacation as she sees it more like work rather than enjoyment (I am sure most moms are the same). Only if she knew... :) Even though I have shared my blog with her, she probably still does not believe I am able to cook all this food as I had no culinary interests when I was living at home. I guess since I have no access to my mom’s food, I kind of had to learn myself. Although, I never have time to cook there anyway as a result of travel, the beach, catching up with family, friends and relatives.

Before I get off the subject, one day during my vacation, my mother in law was visiting. My mother had asked me what I wanted to eat earlier. I had mentioned that I was craving bulgur balls with spinach and garlic. She was surprised as she thought I came all the way from America and I want to eat bulgur balls with spinach and garlic? She was making every effort to prepare the fanciest, the best food she could think of during my short visits. My mother in law is also one that makes every effort to make the best meal possible and almost forces me to eat more and more. She either thinks I need to gain some weight or that I should be crazy not to stuff myself with all this food that I cannot find in the States. No wonder why after we finish our meal and slow down, they (women in the area I grew up) start complaining about their weight and half of the conversation goes about how to lose weight ... Then, they try to figure out why they gain weight; most of the time the conclusion amazingly would be that their weight gain occurs due to ‘water’ or/and ‘air’! ‘Water’, because they drink too much water and ‘air’ because they swallow air which “causes” them to look inflated than they actually are! Eventually, reality sinks in and they realize that it is really not ‘air’ or ‘water’ that causes the weight gain but the amount of food they eat. :)

Of course, their intention with insisting on eating lots of food is certainly a good one since in Turkish culture, food is a big part of hospitality. With an enormous pleasure, they will cook a feast for their guests and would probably get offended if you do not eat. I think it would be very difficult to stay very slim in Turkey as guests come and go daily and when there are guests, many types of snacks/foods are served. The guests are joined by the host in eating; otherwise it would be impolite.

I know I am going off track here… Back to the bulgur balls... My mother in law and my mom started to make the bulgur balls together. Half of the mixture was made with spinach and the other half with green beans. They finished quickly and we had it for lunch that day.

I decided to try to make it here by myself, since I do not cook in large quantities unless I have company. This is the result of my recipe and both my husband and I were pleased with the result.

For the Bulgur Balls:

2 cups bulgur (fine grind)
1 cup flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup hot water

For the Spinach Mixture:

2 bunches fresh spinach
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
½ cup olive oil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)

Ttriple wash the spinach. Let the spinach soak in a big pot or bowl filled with cold water. Wash each leaf of spinach individually if you do not like to have any kind of dirt on them. I wash them individually and then soak them in cold water and drain them three times.

Put the spinach leaves in a large pot full of boiling water. If you have a pot that comes with colander (usually used for cooking pasta), that will make boiling the spinach easier. Cook for two minutes and remove the colander from the pot. If you use a regular pot, just pour the contents of the pot into a colander. Place the colander under cold water so the spinach stops cooking. Let them drain.

In the mean time, prepare the bulgur balls. Place the bulgur in a large shallow bowl. Pour the hot water and mix to make sure all the bulgur is soaked. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes until the bulgur is soft.

Add all the other ingredients to make the bulgur balls. Knead for 10 minutes. You will need to dip your hand in water while kneading so have a bowl full of water ready. The bulgur balls will dry easily and that is why soaking the hand is necessary when kneading.

You may also use a stand mixer to mix the ingredients for the bulgur balls. Combine all the bulgur ball ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer and using the flat beater attachment, mix the ingredients for the bulgur for a few minutes on speeds 2 and 4 respectively. Do not add any of the ingredients for the spinach mixture.

Once the bulgur is soft enough and ready to be shaped, dip your hands in the water, pull a small amount of the bulgur in the size of a quarter, roll it and give it a gentle punch with your finger. See picture.



Fill half of a large pot with water and boil. Add the bulgur balls and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Cool the bulgur balls.



Since the bulgur balls are ready, now it is time to prepare the spinach mixture. Squeeze the spinach to let out the water it holds. I usually create large balls of spinach and squeeze them until all the water is drained. Give the spinach a coarse chop. Place the spinach in a large bowl and add all the ingredients listed above for the spinach mixture. Mix well so that the salt and the seasonings are evenly distributed.


Add this mixture to the cooled bulgur balls and mix again so that the spinach mixture and the bulgur balls are married together.

Serve at room temperature along with cold yogurt.

Bulgur Pilaf with Ground Chicken

Bulgur pilafs can be prepared in numerous ways in Turkey. This pilaf includes both chicken and vegetables. Traditionally, Turkish pilafs are made with either lentils, chickpeas, vermicelli, orzo pasta, vegetables, lamb or beef. The chicken worked out perfectly in the pilaf, however, if you prefer, you may substitute with beef or lamb. I actually liked the chicken in the pilaf as it is lighter than beef.

This recipe was given to me by my sister who created this dish for a Christmas party. I was not sure how the pilaf would turn out with the cranberries and the lemon juice, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how the combination of flavors turned out. In Turkish cuisine, currants and raisins are widely used, especially in pilafs, so the cranberries were not foreign in the pilaf. The lemon juice also provided a mysterious pleasant taste that left you wondering where it is coming from. This pilaf can be eaten as a meal by itself as it includes grains, vegetables and meat all in one dish.

After my husband ate this pilaf, he began teasing me that my sisters are naturally good cooks and it must be something running in the family. I think he is right as both my sisters enjoy cooking as a hobby and every once in a while contribute to my blog by either giving me recipes or ideas. It sounds like, only if we were all together, we could start a restaurant!

2 ½ cups bulgur (medium grind)
1 ½ lb ground chicken
1 yellow onion (chopped)-optional
1 green bell pepper (diced)
2 ripe tomatoes (peeled and diced)
½ cup dried cranberries (tart & sweetened)
1/3 cup brown lentils
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
5 cups of chicken broth or water
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil and place the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked or takes a whitish color; stirring occasionally. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add lentils and sauté approximately 5 minutes. Add cranberries, green peppers and tomatoes. Squeeze the lemon on top and sauté another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and let it boil. Add the bulgur, the salt and the black pepper and cook covered on medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed in the bulgur.

Decorate with pickled small peppers, parsley and onion. Serve warm.

Red Lentil Fingers (Mercimekli Köfte)

This dish is made all over Turkey and served as an appetizer, main course, side dish and as an afternoon snack. My first attempt to make this dish was not successful. Neither were my second or third attempts. The reason is because you have to get the measurement of water, lentils and bulgur just right. If you make this recipe and it turns out runny, just put it in the oven for 10-15 minutes before adding the green onions and parsley. You may even use the microwave instead of oven. This is what I did when I encountered this problem during my prior attempts and it worked perfectly.

During grad school, the Turkish professor at the university used to make these lentil koftes when she invited the few Turkish students to her house. They tasted so good. I loved them so much that I couldn’t help but fill up on these koftes while other excellent foods were waiting to be eaten.

If you ever feel like having a light lunch or dinner, these are very easy to make. This finger food also can be perfect for taking to a pot luck dinner. Wrap in lettuce leaves and enjoy!

2 cups red lentils
2 cups bulgur (fine grind)
5 ½ cups water
2 bunches green onions (chopped)
1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
½ - ¾ cup olive oil
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp red pepper paste
1 ½ tsp salt

5-6 leaves of romaine lettuce

Wash the lentils and place in a large pot with water. Cook on medium heat until the red lentils are cooked and soft. Usually about a half hour should be sufficient for the lentils to be soft. Add the bulgur to the lentils, mix thoroughly and cover for a half hour. The bulgur will become soft from the moisture in the pot. The mixture of the lentils and bulgur will thicken. Place in a deep bowl and let it cool.

In the mean time, heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and sautee or 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste, red pepper paste and stir until the pastes dissolve. Add the parsley and stir for 1 minute. Pour this sauce on the lentils and bulgur. Sprinkle the salt on it. Once the oil cools, knead the contents of the bowl. Mix thoroughly to avoid lumps and to make sure ingredients are integrated well.

Prepare a large plate and place the lettuce leaves on it. Pull an egg sized amount of the mixture, hold it in your palm and press it gently with your fingers. Place it on the lettuce bed. Keep doing this until the lettuce bed is covered with the lentil fingers. You may create a lettuce wrap with the red lentil fingers by placing a red lentil finger in a lettuce leaf and wrapping it. Serve at room temperatures.

Tip: Whenever I make any food that involves kneading or mixing with hands, I use gloves to protect my hands and nails. If you knead bulgur dough that involves tomato or red pepper paste, your hands will take a reddish color. Therefore, I started using regular gloves that are used for First Aid or the ones you see at your doctor's office. At first they may feel uncomfortable to cook with, but they do help protect your hands and nails. I think they come in one size so if your hands are small, the gloves may not fit well. In this case, I tie them at the wrist so they fit correctly.

Bulgur Pilaf with Almonds and Pine Nuts (Bademli ve Çamfıstıklı Bulgur Pilavı)

Bulgur is a versatile staple in Turkey which is cooked in pilafs and many other dishes such as Stuffed Bulgur Shells, Bulgur Salad (Kısır) similar tabouleh and etc. Bulgur pilafs are widely consumed in Turkey using very diverse ingredients. This is another dish that comes from the times of the Ottoman Empire era.

Bulgur pilafs are usually served with meats, vegetables and stews. Using your creativity, it is very possible to create numerous bulgur pilaf recipes. This recipe is using bulgur pilaf with almonds and pine nuts which are common ingredients for pilafs.

2 cups bulgur (medium grain)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup slit and peeled almonds
4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt

Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add the slit and peeled almonds along with the pine nuts. Sautee until both the pine nuts and the almonds take a brownish color. Add the bulgur and sautee 2-3 minutes. Add the water and salt. Adjust the salt to your liking. Cook on medium heat until the water boils. Once the water boils turn the heat to low and simmer until the water of the bulgur is evaporated (about 20 minutes).