Middle Eastern Lentil & Kofta Bowl By Sy

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• 6 cups of heated chicken stock (other stocks optional)
• 1 1/4 cups lentils (yellow peas)
• 1 celery rib, chopped up (optional)
• 1 small onion, chopped up
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste (tube, can or jar)
• 1 small green zucchini, cut into thin 12 slices
• 1 small red pepper, chopped up
• 1 -2 tablespoon butter
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, chopped up
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1 -2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, 8 small slivers from the outside of a lemon)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 inch ginger, chopped up (optional)
• 1 lb ground turkey (turkey #1 choice) or 1 lb ground chicken (turkey #1 choice)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (cayenne optional)
• 1 small onion, chopped up
• 3 tablespoons parsley or 3 tablespoons mint
• oil (for frying)

Recipe

• 1 mix the kofta ingredients and set aside.
• 2 put stock in a pot (non-stick teflon) and after heated add; peas (lentils), celery, onion, tomato paste and let simmer for about 30+ minutes, with the cover on.
• 3 stirring occasionally.
• 4 when the lentils are three quarters done, reserve about 1/2 cup for later use.
• 5 remove pot from stove and puree the soup, then back on the stove.
• 6 after the soup is reduced somewhat, add; semneh seasonings and puree again.
• 7 let soup simmer for about 15 minutes, stir often (and make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot).
• 8 when you have a real thick soup add the 1/2 cup reserved lentils and cook for one minutes more.
• 9 the soup should be thick which will allow the koftas, zucchini and red peppers to float on top when added.
• 10 while the soup is cooking, make the koftas.
• 11 form about 12-16 small flat kofta patties and fry with a little oil (or grilled).
• 12 make sure that the ground poultry is thoroughly cooked, flatten them with a spatula.
• 13 put the zucchini and chopped red pepper into a big bowl, add the butter and then into the microwave for about 1 minutes.
• 14 do not over cook!
• 15 add the thick lentil soup to each bowl.
• 16 make a nice looking design around the bowl by placing 2- koftas, 3 slices of zucchini and garnish with red peppers.
• 17 enjoy, with pita bread and accompanied with hot chili sauce, yogurt sauce, mint sauce, sour cream, sour pickles/vegetables, lemon wedges on the side.