I would like to start one of the most popular Turkish cuisines with the story of raw meatball. The chief of the village forbids making fire for a while because he will use up all the wood to burn his enemy. Since everyone has heard about this, they make their preparations accordingly. A man, on the other hand, is hunting in the forest when the news spreads. After proudly returning to the village and his house with the gazelle he killed, he is very disappointed by the news. She cuts the gazelle meat into pieces and kneads it well with bulgur. In this way, raw meatballs are made.

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How To Make Raw Meatballs
Çiğ köfte recipe, one of the unique flavors of Turkish cuisine, we always know it as a recipe that is kneaded for a long time, requires skill, and not everyone can make it easily. Çiğ köfte, one of the most popular recipes in the South East, especially in Urfa, is originally made and served as raw meatballs with meat. However, when we want to make it more economically at home, we always go to the meatless raw meatballs recipe. It also takes a lot of time to knead. Let’s make it easier.
Step 1
Put 1.5 cups of brown bulgur in a wide-mouthed mixing bowl that should be as flat as possible (to make kneading easier).
Step 2
Open the bulgur lumps with your hands or a spoon and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
Step 3
Mix the isot and salt with your hands or a spoon until the color of the isot turns to bulgur.
Step 4
Knead until the onions are well mixed with the bulgur.
Step 5
Finally, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons pepper paste, 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, 2 tablespoons oil and bulgur. Then knead the mixture for about 15 minutes until the ingredients are well mixed.

How To Make Raw Meatballs In A Dough Kneader
Çig köfte is one of the national flavors of Turkish cuisine. It is a bit laborious to knead by hand. Recently, with the introduction of dough kneading machines into homes, this work has become more practical. Raw meatballs need to be kneaded very well. Thankfully, kitchen chefs come to the rescue. If not, they can make the same recipe by relying on their wrists.
Put the bulgur and hot water in the kitchen chef and wait for 10 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the greens and run the machine for 40 minutes in total, stopping the machine from time to time. When it reaches the consistency of paste, add finely chopped parsley and green onions, knead it with your hands for 2-3 more minutes and shape it.
Tips About Raw Meatballs From Turkish Cuisine
- The most important element in the preparation of raw meatballs from Turkish cuisine is the choice of bulgur. When choosing bulgur, make sure that it is brown bulgur with raw meatballs. The higher quality the bulgur, the better the texture of the raw meatballs.
- I recommend you choose a fine-grained, locally made quality bulgur if possible. Perhaps the most difficult part of preparing raw meatballs is using hot water in the right amount.
- Even though I’ve included the amount I used here, different types of bulgur absorb water at different rates. While 1 glass of boiling water will swell the bulgur I use, this amount may not be enough for you. The easiest way to understand this is to puff the bulgur, feel it with your hand, and crush some bulgur in the palm of your hand.
- If it stands as a whole without spreading too much, it means that the puffing process was done correctly. If it does not take shape, that is, it takes on a liquid consistency, add a little more bulgur and some boiling water. If the bulgur is very firm, add just a little boiling water and cover again.
- When choosing isot, I recommend buying it from the herbalist and not the packaged products on the market. If possible, make sure that the isot you buy is coarse-grained and shiny, that is, oily Urfa isot. Never grate the onion into the bulgur or grind it in a robot.
- Chop it into very small pieces with a knife, without diluting it too much, and squeeze out some water. Otherwise, the onion juice would hurt the raw meatballs.
- If you have enough time, you will get a better result if you mix the above ingredients together and knead them one by one instead of kneading them one by one.

You can also check out my Turkish cuisine recipes below that might interest you.
When you are ready, let’s share the recipe for raw meatballs of Turkish cuisine.
EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED FOR THIS RECIPE
Raw Meatball Recıpe Wıthout Meat
Course: AppetizersCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Medium5-6
servings30
minutes180
kcalRaw meatball recipe that will suit your tables with its unique taste.
Ingredients
2.5 cups of brown bulgur with raw meatball
2 tablespoons of Urfa red peppers (isot)
1 small onion
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of red pepper paste
2 tablespoons of pomegranate syrup
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup hot water
Directions
- Put 1.5 cups of brown bulgur in a mixing bowl with a wide opening, which should be as flat as possible (to facilitate kneading).
- Open the lumps of swollen bulgur with your hand or a spoon and add 2 tablespoons of isot.
- Mix the isot and salt with your hand or a spoon until the color of the isot turns into bulgur.
- Knead the onions until they are thoroughly mixed with the bulgur.
- Finally, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of paprika paste, 2 tablespoons of pomegranate syrup, 2 tablespoons of oil and bulgur are added. Then knead the ingredients for about 15 minutes until well mixed.
Notes
- If it does not rise, that is, has a liquid consistency, add a little more bulgur and a little boiling water. If the bulgur is very firm, add just a little boiling water and cover again.
- You can also eat raw meatballs by putting them in lettuce or lavash bread.
- Raw meatballs are actually a kind of appetizer. If they don’t retain their texture, they lack the deliciousness of the meatball, which in this recipe is both delicious and inexpensive.
How Should Raw Meatballs Be Presented?
In general, you can place the salad on the bottom of a tray or serving platter and arrange the chopped raw meatballs from Turkish cuisine on top, with cucumbers and arugula on the sides of the tray as desired. For Valentine’s Day, I prepared a special presentation of raw meatballs. I arranged the raw meatballs from Turkish cuisine whole in a heart shape and served them with pickled beet. If you have the option, you can also arrange buttermilk in a copper tray and in a copper cup next to it.




What Are Turkish Raw Meatballs?
Turkish cuisine raw meatballs; a food from Sanlıurfa and Adıyaman regions prepared by kneading and mixing bulgur, isot, minced meat, tomato paste, onions, parsley and various spices and consumed without heat treatment (cooking).Cig meatballs from Turkish cuisine , which Hz. Ibrahim’s mother made by pounding bulgur and gazelle meat with stones so that her children would not die in a famine, and which are believed to have survived to this day, are now offered to customers without meat.
How Is Cig Kofte Made?
Place the brown bulgur in a large mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over it and cover. After 15 minutes of infusion, spread the swollen bulgur by hand. Add isot and salt. Stir again by hand to distribute the isot and salt. Cut 1 small onion into very small pieces, squeeze the juice in the palm of your hand without squeezing it too hard, and add to the bulgur. Knead the juice of the onion until it is well mixed with the bulgur. Add tomato paste, paprika paste, pomegranate syrup, juice of 1 lemon, oil and bulgur. Knead the bulgur for about 15 minutes until well mixed. Shape with your hands and serve.
Is Cig Kofte Safe To Eat?
The Turkish Ministry of Health has banned the street sale of raw meatballs. However, most Turks consider this dish to be completely safe. Knowing the quality of materials made at home, it is safe to eat homemade raw meatballs.
For kneading the raw meatballs from Turkish cuisine, I recommend using a fluted tray, not an ordinary tray anymore. If you don’t prefer to knead by hand, you can prepare and knead your materials with dough kneading machines. You can ask any questions you have by writing a comment. I will do my best to help you as much as possible with the problems you have. Stay healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is cig kofte banned?
In 2008, the Turkish Ministry of Health banned pre-made raw meatballs containing raw meat in response to European Union health regulations. The meat used in raw meatballs should be freshly kneaded and consumed immediately.
Does cig kofte have raw meat?
Since lamb is considered clean meat, it is often used in place of beef for raw meatballs. Both Armenians and Turks use raw meatballs, served almost cold, as an appetizer. Raw meatballs should not be kept overnight, but should be eaten immediately.
Do they eat raw meat in Turkey?
In the preparation of this dish is not cooked, but the ingredients are kneaded together on a tray and cooked.
Is cig kofte healthy?
Raw meatballs due to its spices and isot; It can balance blood, cholesterol levels and speed up metabolism. The bulgur is a good source of B vitamins. It can also be used instead of bread and other foods of the bread group.
I tried today this repice fistly i couldnt make truely but my second was perfect.thanks for all your blog look nice
Hi James,ı!m glad be perfect.I hope you like this dishes.Thanks for nice words