28 Jan Tasty Cypriot Nene’s Bulgur Kofte – My Grannies Recipe
A Cypriot classic! Crunchy, crispy, soft and moreish!
Enjoy dear friends!
Recipe:
350g lamb mince
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig parsley, chopped
olive oil for frying
500g bulgur
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
500ml hot water
a little more water and flour depending on consistency
1 litre sunflower oil for deep frying
Fry the mince with the onion and add the seasonings. Once browned and cooked, stir in chopped parsley and set aside to cool.
Mix the olive oil, salt and pepper in to the bulgur. Pour in the hot water and stir well.
Soak the bulgur in the hot water, covered, till cooled and all water has been absorbed.
Have about 200g flour handy in case you need it.
Start kneading the bulgur mixture, adding a little flour and possibly water, as you go. You are looking for a sticky but firm mixture, like a lumpy dough.
Have water handy and begin making the koftes. Take golf ball size amounts and shape in to a cylinder. Push your finger through and keep shaping, thinning out the walls to the thickness of a pound coin if you can. Fill with a little mince and then shape and stick the mixture back together so you have a conical shape, with points at both ends.
Make all of the koftes up and then heat oil to 200*C, for deep frying.
Check the oil is hot by throwing in a piece of bread and if it sizzles, rises and gently browns then you’re good to go. If it browns immediately, turn the heat down, take the oil aside and let it cool down for a few minutes then try again.
Fry the kofte in batches till they are darkened, nutty brown and crispy, crunchy.
Enjoy with lots of lemon juice.