Ingredients (Serves 5)
8 cups raw bulgur
1 large onion
300 gr pounded raw meat
1 cup red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups oil

Preparation
Bulghur is placed on one side of a large meatball basin. On the other side, finely chopped onion, meat, chili pepper, cinnamon, salt are mixed well and when they are identical, bulgur is slowly added to this mixture and kneaded with the help of water as in raw meatballs. (The difference is that raw meatballs are kneaded with ice instead of water) To check the consistency of the kneaded meatballs, a large squeeze is made and rolled in the palm of the hand. If it rolls without falling apart, it means it has caught* **. The meatballs are gathered on one side of the basin, the squeezes made in the size of a small tangerine are first rolled in the hand, then the meatballs are shaped by lightly hitting each other with the palms of both hands and the edges are smoothed with the palms of the hands. They are fried in hot oil, not too dark, and placed on plates. Aya meatballs are not a main course. It is eaten as a rice alternative with dishes such as Bostanyla, sour okra, squash, whole eggplant.

*The word kofte is derived from the Persian word köften, meaning crushed or pounded. “A phrase describing the consistency of kneaded kofte. See. Çiğköfte.

Source: Taste from Tandoori / L&uu;tfiye AKALIN