Vospov Kufteh

Last weekend our family attended the annual potluck picnic of our local Armenian community.  I decided to prepare a traditional Armenian dish to share: Vospov Kufteh or lentil balls.  I got the recipe from my friend Bev who is of Armenian descent and to whom it was passed down from her Aunt Rose.

The recipe is really not that complicated, but I still wanted to make it just right as I was serving it to Armenians.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup split red lentils

3 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp red pepper

1 cup medium bulgur

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 medium onion chopped 

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped

2 cups parsley, chopped

Boil lentils 30 minutes in the water (will look pasty).  Add salt and red pepper and additional water, if needed and boil 2 minutes longer.  Put bulgur in a large basin and pour lentils over it.  Mix, cover, and let cool one hour.

Cooled lentil bulgur mix

Brown the onion in the melted butter or margarine add add to the bulgur/lentil mixture.  When cool enough to handle, knead 5 minutes until well-blended.  Mix in the chopped vegetables and add more salt and red pepper to taste.

Veggies and herbs added to the mix

Shape into individual servings by squeezing a portion against the palm of your hand gently with your fingers.  Serve while still warm. 

The final product

I served the kufteh cold which seemed to be no problem and about 2/3 of them were eaten at the picnic. Emilia enjoyed them very much as did Craig and I.  The leftovers we brought home are long gone.

I am so happy I found a healthy, easy, yummy Armenian dish that I will be able to prepare for years to come.  If Rex stays gluten-free, I will experiment with substituting rice or quinoa for the bulgur which should be delicious, too.