Blame the Corona Virus… From now on you will find cooking recipes here besides all that baked stuff you already know. It all started two weeks ago with a recipe for The Best Bolognese Sauce *EVER* and in more or less regular (irregular) intervals you will find recipes here on the blog that have been tried and tested many times in my kitchen. Today I got a dish that is served like this (or let’s say similar) a bit further down south: Turkish Köfte aka. Meatballs with a warm Lentil Salad.
The world is still upside down somehow. The situation here on the blog is not much different. The last several weeks I didn’t really bake often. In contrast to many others that did not happen due to missing ingredients – I’m actually well equipped in my kitchen and always got everything I needed… Even if it sometimes took many attempts or I had to wait a little bit until the supermarket around the corner was restocked.
I have problems getting rid of baked goods. I just don’t have anyone to serve my cakes right now. In a normal world, as it used to be before COVID-19, my cakes usually ended up in my friend’s office or friends dropped by for coffee and cake. In times of »social distancing«, this is all impossible. Everybody works from home and friends cannot drop by due to official regulations. This is the reality right now. That’s why I’ve been focusing more on cooking in the last few months. Everything I cook is for two people and even if it can feed more than two, you can eat the leftovers the next day.
Well… things will change again soon. At least I hope so. I will probably keep the cooking recipes though. I enjoy cooking and since I hardly eat sweets anymore because of my diabetes, cooking got much more important for me anyway. So be prepared for more cooking recipes in the future. You will likely find many dishes we enjoy cooking ourselves at home, classics that my mother or grandma taught me, and maybe some »fancy« stuff from our favorite restaurants that we recreated at home. The recipes will probably mostly fit the category »quick and easy« though. With some exceptions here and there I guess… it shouldn’t get boring in any case.
So today I got some Köfte aka. Turkish meatballs with a warm lentil salad for you. Legumes are often used in Turkish recipes and are a good choice if you are on a restricted diet. Compared with pasta lentils are much better for your blood sugar level since they take longer do digest and do not raise your blood sugar as quickly as pasta would do. If you are not into lentils you can serve these Köfte with some rice or bulgur, of course. This recipe also works fine as a meal prep recipe – you can easily keep the meatballs and salad in your fridge for days and reheat everything in the microwave. Hassle-fee lunch or dinner.
I’d say you have to see for yourself what kind of combination works best for you – lentil salad, rice or bulgur… you should like cumin though. Without the cumin, Köfte are not Köfte, just simple meatballs.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(2 servings)
For the lentil salad:
1 large carrot
2 garlic cloves
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
5.3 oz. (150g) red lentils*
1 1/2 tsp. veggie stock powder*
1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce*
salt, pepper
1 red pepper
1 spring onion
For the Köfte (meatballs):
1 garlic clove
14 oz. (400g) ground beef
1 tsp. ground cumin*
1/4 tsp. paprika powder (hot)*
some Tabasco sauce*
salt, pepper
wooden skewers (15cm)*
1-2 tbsp. oil for frying
For the yogurt sauce:
5.3 oz. (150g) plain yogurt
1 organic lemon
salt, pepper
(2 Portionen)
Für den Linsensalat:
1 große Karotte
2 Knoblauchzehen
1-2 EL Olivenöl
150g rote Linsen*
1 1/2 TL Gemüsebrühepulver*
360ml Wasser
2 EL Sweet Chili Sauce*
Salz, Pfeffer
1 rote Paprika
1 Frühlingszwiebel
Für die Köfte:
1 Knoblauchzehe
400g Rinderhackfleisch
1 TL Kreuzkümmel (Cumin)*, gemahlen
1/4 TL Paprikapulver (scharf)*
etwas Tabasco Sauce*
Salz, Pfeffer
Schaschlikspieße (15cm)*
1-2 EL Öl zum Anbraten
Für die Joghurtsoße:
150g Joghurt
1 Bio-Zitrone
Salz, Pfeffer
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start with the lentil salad by peeling the carrot and cutting it into small dices. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices. Heat up a large pan with some olive oil, add the diced carrot and garlic slices and fry until slightly soft. Add the lentils and cook them for 1-2 minutes, add the veggie broth powder, mix and then add the water and stir. Reduce the heat and let the lentils simmer for about 10 minutes. While the veggies are cooking wash, half and core the pepper – cut into small dices. Cut the spring onion into rings and set both to the side. As soon as the lentils are soft (but not mushy) take off the heat, add the sweet chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add the diced pepper and set aside.
2. While the lentils are cooking you can prepare the meatballs. Peel the garlic and dice it finely. Add the ground beef, diced garlic, cumin powder, and paprika powder to a bowl and mix well. Season with Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Divide into four portions and shape into little logs/sausages and »impale« them with the wooden skewers. Heat up a frying pan with some oil and fry the Köfte from all sides until nicely browned – about 5-6 minutes.
3. For the yogurt sauce wash the lemon with hot water and dry it again. Zest and juice the lemon. Season the yogurt to your liking with the lemon zest, lemon juice as well as salt and pepper.
4. Add some of the warm lentil salad on each plate, place two Köfte on top and decorate with the spring onion rings. Serve with the yogurt sauce.
1. Für den Linsensalat die Karotte schälen und in kleine Würfel schneiden. Knoblauch schälen und in feine Scheiben schneiden. Das Olivenöl in einer großen Pfanne stark erhitzen und die Karottenwürfel und den Knoblauch darin kurz anschwitzen. Die Linsen dazugeben und 1-2 Minuten anbraten. Das Gemüsebrühe-Pulver dazugeben, unterrühren und dann mit dem Wasser ablöschen. Die Hitzezufuhr reduzieren und alles bei niedriger Temperatur für etwa 10 Minuten leicht köcheln lassen. Während das Gemüse kocht, die Paprika halbieren, entkernen und dann in kleine Würfel schneiden. Die Frühlingszwiebel in Ringe schneiden – beides zur Seite stellen. Wenn die Linsen weich gekocht sind (aber nicht matschig), vom Herd nehmen, die Chili Sauce unterrühren und mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Die Paprikawürfel dazugeben und zur Seite stellen.
2. Während die Linsen köcheln, auch die Köfte zubereiten. Die Knoblauchzehe schälen und fein würfeln. Das Rinderhack zusammen mit den Knoblauchwürfeln, Kreuzkümmel und dem Paprikapulver in eine Schüssel geben, mit Tabasco, Salz und Pfeffer würzen und dann alles gut vermischen. Die Masse in vier Portionen teilen und zu länglichen Würsten formen und dann je einen Schaschlikspieß hineinstecken. Eine Pfanne mit etwas Öl erhitzen und die Köfte rundum scharf anbraten – etwa 5-6 Minuten.
3. Für die Joghurtsoße die Zitrone heiß abwaschen und trocknen. Die Schale abreiben und den Saft auspressen. Den Joghurt nach belieben mit dem Abrieb und Zitronensaft verrühren und mit etwas Salz und Pfeffer abschmecken.
4. Zum Anrichten den Linsensalat auf die Teller verteilen, zwei Köfte darauf legen und mit den Frühlingszwiebelröllchen dekorieren. Den Joghurt dazu servieren.
Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Warm Lentil Salad with Köfte/Kofta (Turkish Meatballs)
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 00:40
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: -
- Cuisine: Türkiye
Description
A delicious dish for lunch or diner – a warm lentil salad with Turkish meatballs aka. Köfte/Kofta. An absolute awesome flavor combination!
Ingredients
For the lentil salad:
1 large carrot
2 garlic cloves
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
5.3 oz. (150g) red lentils*
1 1/2 tsp. veggie stock powder*
1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce*
salt, pepper
1 red pepper
1 spring onion
For the Köfte (meatballs):
1 garlic clove
14 oz. (400g) ground beef
1 tsp. ground cumin*
1/4 tsp. paprika powder (hot)*
some Tabasco sauce*
salt, pepper
wooden skewers (15cm)*
1-2 tbsp. oil for frying
For the yogurt sauce:
5.3 oz. (150g) plain yogurt
1 organic lemon
salt, pepper
Instructions
1. Start with the lentil salad by peeling the carrot and cutting it into small dices. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin slices. Heat up a large pan with some olive oil, add the diced carrot and garlic slices and fry until slightly soft. Add the lentils and cook them for 1-2 minutes, add the veggie broth powder, mix and then add the water and stir. Reduce the heat and let the lentils simmer for about 10 minutes. While the veggies are cooking wash, half and core the pepper – cut into small dices. Cut the spring onion into rings and set both to the side. As soon as the lentils are soft (but not mushy) take off the heat, add the sweet chili sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add the diced pepper and set aside.
2. While the lentils are cooking you can prepare the meatballs. Peel the garlic and dice it finely. Add the ground beef, diced garlic, cumin powder, and paprika powder to a bowl and mix well. Season with Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Divide into four portions and shape into little logs/sausages and »impale« them with the wooden skewers. Heat up a frying pan with some oil and fry the Köfte from all sides until nicely browned – about 5-6 minutes.
3. For the yogurt sauce wash the lemon with hot water and dry it again. Zest and juice the lemon. Season the yogurt to your liking with the lemon zest, lemon juice as well as salt and pepper.
4. Add some of the warm lentil salad on each plate, place two Köfte on top and decorate with the spring onion rings. Serve with the yogurt sauce.
Notes
Enjoy cooking!
Links marked with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links (advertising/Werbung) to Amazon Germany. If you click on one of those links and buy something via this link, I will get a commission for that sale. The price of whatever you buy is not affected in any way by this.
