Cig kofte is a traditional meatball dish from Urfa, Turkey made with raw ground lamb that is pounded and molded by hand. The recipe includes ground lamb seasoned with Urfa peppers, garlic, onion, and cinnamon that is pounded for 10-15 minutes until smooth. It is then mixed with bulgur wheat, capsicum paste, water, spring onions, and parsley and pounded for another 20-30 minutes until the bulgur softens. The cig kofte is served wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves.

1. ÇİĞKÖFTE
Cig kofte is one of the traditional tastes of Urfa, a city located at south east of Anatolia in
Turkey. Literally meaning raw meatballs, it's cooked only with the heat of your palms while
pounding and moulding. Chef Somer Sivrioglu shares his version of this unique recipe.
Ingredients:
240g pounded lamb mince (some butchers will do this for you) - 120g Isot peppers (Burnt Turkish
Urfa Peppers. This can be found at Turkish markets. Substitute with medium hot chilli flakes if not
found) - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 1 onion, finely chopped - 1 tbsp cinnamon - 300g
bulgur (cracked wheat) - 1 tbsp capsicum paste (or tomato paste) - 300g water - 120g spring
onion, finely chopped - 1 bunch of flat parsley, chopped - Iceberg lettuce, to serve
Preparation
Place the lamb mince in a bowl, using your hands to pound it well. Add the Isot peppers,
garlic, onion and cinnamon. Continue pounding. Season with salt and pepper.
Continue pounding the lamb mixture for 10-15 minutes till it feels like a pate. Add the
bulgur and moulding it for a further 20-30 minutes or until the bulgur softens. Add the
capsicum paste, water, spring onion and parsley. Use your hands to mix for 1 minute.
Divide the cig kofte among iceberg lettuce leaves to serve.