Harput köftesi
Bulgur meatballs in tomato broth
Harput köftesi: Elazığ's bulgur and beef köfte simmered in a tomato and pepper broth
Harput is the old hilltop town above Elazığ, and its köfte are a soup and a main course at once: firm balls of fine bulgur kneaded with lean beef mince and spices, simmered in a tomato and pepper broth with chickpeas. They're eaten at home on winter evenings, the broth mopped up with bread. Common mistake: not kneading long enough; the bulgur and meat need to become a smooth, stretchy paste or the köfte fall apart in the broth. Simmer until the köfte are firm and cooked through to 71 °C. Chef's tip: add a few ice cubes while kneading; cold keeps the meat binding the bulgur together.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the köfte
- 9 oz fine bulgur
- ¾ cup hot water
- 9 oz lean beef minceminced twice
- 1 oniongrated and squeezed
- 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp saltsplit between köfte and broth
For the broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 10 ½ oz grated tomatoes
- 7 oz cooked chickpeasdrained
- 4 ¼ cups hot water
- 1 tsp dried mint
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Pour ¾ cup hot water over 9 oz fine bulgur, cover and leave 15 minutes to soften.
15 minStep 2: Add 9 oz lean beef mince, 1 onion, 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, 1 tsp ground cumin and half of ¾ tsp salt. Knead hard for 10 minutes, wetting your hands with iced water, until the mixture is smooth and sticky.
10 minStep 3: Roll into walnut-sized balls and press a dimple into each with your thumb. Chill while you make the broth.
Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pot and fry 1 onion for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute, then add 10 ½ oz grated tomatoes, 7 oz cooked chickpeas, 4 ¼ cups hot water and the rest of ¾ tsp salt. Bring to the boil.
8 minStep 5: Lower in the köfte one by one, cover and simmer gently for 18–20 minutes, until they are firm and cooked through to 160°F. Don't stir; shake the pot instead.
20 minStep 6: Stir in 1 tsp dried mint and 1 tsp Turkish chilli flakes (pul biber) and serve in deep bowls.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does harput köftesi take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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