Vegan Spicy Meatless Balls
A classic spicy treat.
Servings 6 persons
Calories 150kcal
Ingredients
- 150 grams fine bulgur
- 1 tablespoon isot or sumac
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 2 onions
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2 slices stale white bread with crusts or
- ½ pita bread
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon dry mint flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 120 grams walnuts
- ½ bunch parsley well chopped
Instructions
- Put the bulgur in a pot and pour warm water on top to cover. Let the bulgur settle and drain the excess water. Set aside to dry.
- Put the isot¼ and the red pepper flakes in a small bowl, cover with warm water and set aside.
- Peel the onion and the garlic cloves. Use a food processor to completely chop and turn into a mash. Squeeze out the excess water and discard. Using a colander and pressing down with the back of a spoon will make this task easier.
- Then, add the stale bread, all the other spices listed in the ingredients, the tomato and the hot pepper paste into the food processor. Drain the excess water in the red pepper flakes and isot mixture and add to the food processor. Run the food processor until everything is well blended.
- Then add the drained onion/garlic mixture, the bulgur and the olive oil into the food processor and run it again.
- The mixture will obtain a dough-like texture. Move this dough into a mixing bowl.
- Now that the food processor is empty first chop the parsley and add to the dough.
- Then chop the walnuts and add to the dough.
- Knead the dough until the parsley and the walnuts are well blended. Meanwhile, check to find any pieces of bread not yet crumbled and either remove or make it small with your hands.
- Prepare a bowl with drinking water and a pinch of salt. Wet your hands while kneading if necessary as the dough will be sticky and will get dry in time.
- Set the dough aside for 10 minutes. Then knead for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Make small balls and serve on a bed of rinsed lettuce leaves with lemon wedges.
- Any shape will do, but to make the traditional shape take walnut-sized pieces, make an oval egg-sized shape and squeeze gently in your palm to create the finger marks. Keep in the frige.
Notes
You can substitute isot with sumac but add a 1/4 teaspoon more red pepper flakes.
Serve with lemon wedges, a few drops of lemon's juice will carry the taste to another level.
Enjoy as an appetizer. Serve 2-3 per person.