This is a simple recipe of Turkish origin that allows you to make something else with those red lentils except soup (yummy soup!). You can use it as a mezze dish. This recipe is also vegan, but who needs to know, right?
The recipe
Will serve about 4.
1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
1/2-1 cup fine bulgur
1 onion, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped coarsely
1 bunch of spring onions, chopped
Tomato paste
Flat leaf parsley
Chili powder
Salt
Wash and cook the red lentils until you get a thick creamy mixture. Add the fine bulgur beginning with about half the quantity of red lentils but adding more to get a consistency so you can roll balls from the mixture. Beware though, the bulgur needs some time to soak up the water. Meanwhile fry the finely chopped onion in some oil and at the end add some chili powder. Let everything cool, and then you can mix in all the goodness: the fried onion, the raw onion, raw spring onions, tomato paste and chopped flat leaf parsley, and of course lots of salt. Taste and add more when needed. Mix it all in, pinch off walnut-sized pieces and roll them into balls.
Serve (not-quite) cold, with (not in, you'll squash 'em!) toasted pita bread and a cucumber, tomato and white bean salad, with maybe a couple of olives and some mint tossed in.