One of Turkey’s most popular street delicacies, çiğköfte has recently become a healthy and economical alternative that can be made at home. In this article, you will learn all the intricacies of making çiğköfte at home, step by step, from the ingredients used to the kneading techniques. You will also discover alternative recipes suitable for different tastes.

An ancient part of Southeastern Anatolian cuisine, çiğköfte first emerged as a dish with meat. However, today it is mostly prepared without meat due to health, halal production and food safety sensitivities. Especially Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman regions are considered to be the center of traditional recipes of çiğköfte.

Here are the basic ingredients you need to make cigköfte at home:

• 2 cups of fine bulgur for meatballs
• 2 tablespoons of pepper paste
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tea glass of olive oil
• 1 tea glass of isot (the amount can be increased according to demand)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup
• 1 grated onion
• 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
• Parsley (optional)
• Lettuce and lavash (for serving)

The most important part of making çiğköfte is the kneading process. The kneading process, which is traditionally done in copper basins, takes 20-30 minutes and is completed when the rawköfte reaches a paste-like consistency. You can follow these steps when preparing it at home:

1. Put the bulgur in a large kneading bowl.
2. Add the tomato paste and spices.
3. Gradually add the olive oil and pomegranate molasses.
4. Add the onion and garlic and start kneading.
5. When the mixture thickens, add the parsley and knead for the last time.

When making cigköfte at home, recipes for different dietary preferences can also be applied. Vegan recipes do not use meat anyway; only olive oil-based versions are preferred. In gluten-free recipes, quinoa or buckwheat can be used instead of fine bulgur.

You can wrap homemade raw meatballs in fresh lettuce leaves and serve with lemon and pomegranate syrup. Ayran or turnip juice is one of the drinks that complement this flavor.

Making çiğköfte at home is both an economical and delicious experience. You can prepare your own cigköfte by sticking to traditional recipes or using modern versions and offer a healthy snack to your loved ones. With this recipe, you are now a “rawköfte master”!