Vegan Red Lentil Balls
These nutritious balls are very easy to throw together and make the ultimate vegan party snacks or finger food.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 1/3 cup fine/thin bulgur wheat
- 1/3 bunch parsley
- 4 spring onions
- 1 large onion
- 1/2 cup Colive Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree/ paste*
- 1/2 tbsp sea salt
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper/chili flakes (optional)
- Lettuce and lemon (to serve)
Method:
- Put 1 cup red lentils in a pan with 3 cups of water and bring to boil. As they boil, they will get softer and absorb the water. This would happen after 20 -30 minutes. When the water is mostly gone, add 1 1/3 cup of thin/fine bulgur in this pan and mix. Cover the top and remove from the hob. Let it rest this way for 30 minutes to give bulgur a chance to ‘cook’.
- Chop the large onion into small cubes.
- In a separate pan, saute the onion with 1/2 cup of Colive oil. Once they are soft and translucent, add 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Mix well and let them cook together for 2-3 minutes until the onions and oil become red.
- Chop spring onions and parsley finely.
- In a big mixing bowl, put all the ingredients together ( lentil and bulgur from the pan, sauteed onions with tomato puree, finely chopped parsley and spring onion ) Make sure they are not hot and safe to touch. Mix and knead these ingredients together.
- Add the spices (salt, black pepper, cumin, and Aleppo pepper) and mix a bit more to combine well.
- Wet your hands with some water and start making your lentil balls.
- Serve on lettuce and drizzle with lemon juice before you take a bite.
* If you have mild pepper paste at hand, feel free to replace 1 tbsp of tomato paste with pepper paste :)
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