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Cig kofte is a Turkish vegan Kofte that is considered as one of the most delicious and nutritious vegan food.
Cigkofta which means “Raw Kofte” in Turkish, has a texture similar to minced meat or falafel, and can be eaten easily anywhere at anytime!
About Cig kofte
The Cig kofte is a Turkish dish made by kneading and mixing bulgur, isot, minced meat, tomato paste, onion, parsley, and various spices and consumed without rice (cooking).
Aside from Anlurfa and Adyaman, Turkish Vegetarian Kofte is also produced in Adana, Gaziantep, Diyarbakr, Mardin, Elaz, and Malatya.
It is typically served with lettuce leaves and thin and long (squeezed) meatball pieces.
Vegan Kofta is served with open bread in Anlurfa and lavash bread in some areas.
Cigkofte was traditionally served as an appetizer but now people sometimes serve durum sandwiches on Lavaş which makes the best lunch ever! This vegan kofta dish is full of nutritious ingredients such as wheat that assists digestion and make it easy for food to travel through your system quickly (helping you lose weight).
In Turkey, the sale of Cigkofta with meat is prohibited by the decision of the Ministry of Health.
The delicious Vegan Kofte is Halal food and Kosher food which means Cig kofte is a perfect choice for Muslims, Jews and vegetarians or anyone who love good tasty food.
Cig kofte requires no refrigeration or preparation before cooking; it can be eaten straight out of the pack!
Cig kofte History
The commonly told story about çiköfte origins goes like this:
Urfa’s ruler, King Nemrut, decided to burn Hz Abraham because he believes in only one god.
With his order, he had all the wood and wood pieces in the kingdom gathered in a large square.
There was no wood left in the houses for cooking, and it was forbidden to start fires.
After that People had run out of fuel, so they resorted to creating a paste out of their meat with various spices.
Cigkofte Benfits
Cig kofte is a delicious, plant-based protein snack that gives you all your necessary vitamins and micronutrients. This low calorie food has high fiber content which helps with digestion!
Lowers Cholesterol
One of the most important known benefits of Cigkofte is that it lowers cholesterol. Especially meatless Cig kofte contain plenty of vitamin E and C. Thus, it lowers the bad cholesterol in the person.
Vegan Turkish Kofte can prevent vascular occlusion that cause cholesterol problems.
Protects Against Cancer
As a result of researches, it has been determined that Cigkofte protects against cancer.
Cig kofte contains lycopene, which benefits the intestines and other vital organs. Furthermore, serious diseases such as prostate cancer in men are avoided.
Boost Brain Health
The Turkish vegan Kofte is a dish that’s chock-full of healthy nuts which are known to be one of the most important foods for brain health – so much so it can even help reduce symptoms and strengthen memory in people with diseases such as Alzheimer’s!
Helps Weight Loss
TheTurkish Cig kofte contains a lot of wheat, one of the most easily absorbed and digestible fibers. As a result it has an impact on digestion, which in turn aids weight loss efforts as food is takes time to be digested.
Remedy for Flu
Red pepper refreshes the person and opens the airways. It is useful in diseases such as bronchitis and flu.
Antioxidant properties
The antioxidant substance called “phenol” in Cigkofte reduces the risk of stroke and is good for the heart.
At the same time, it is stated that walnuts can delay or reduce the development of very strong diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, which damage the cardiovascular and nervous system due to its antioxidant properties.
Walnuts in meatless raw meatballs contain manganese and copper, which act as essential cofactors in a number of enzymes that are important in antioxidant defense.
How to make Cigkofte
Cig kofte was made with meat before, but now it’s a totally vegetarian with no meat used to prepare it.
Ingredients of Cigkofte
- 200 g minced meat (OPTIONAL)
- 2 1/2 cups extra fine brown bulgur
- 1 cup boiled water
- 1 bunch fresh flat parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons finely crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp pepper paste
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 fresh lemon juice
Steps to prepare Cigkofte
- Fill a cup halfway with boiling water, then cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 5 minutes. (This will soften the bulgur and cut down on the time it takes to knead it.)
- Rinse the bulgur and combine it with the finely chopped onions and red pepper flakes in a large round baking tray with 5-6 cm high sides.
- With the pepper paste, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and salt, knead for another 20 minutes, or until the bulgur is fully softened.
- For 10 minutes, knead in finely chopped spring onions, parsley leaves, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. (Kneading the cigkofte mixture with a few ice cubes keeps it moist and prevents it from drying out.)
- The mixture is finished when it reaches the consistency of a smooth paste. Then, with a walnut-sized lump of the mixture in your palm, gently squeeze it to form the distinctive Cig kofte shape.
- Serve with lettuce leaves on the side. Arrange them on a serving plate. Lettuce leaves can be used as a wrapper.
- To make the best durum sandwich, spread the cigkofte it on Lavaş.
Cig kofte calories and nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts for 100 gram cigkofte:
| Calories | 226.4 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 1.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg |
| Sodium | 98.6 mg |
| Potassium | 637.9 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 50.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11.0 g |
| Sugars | 2.4 g |
| Protein | 8.0 g |
| Vitamin A | 21.6 % |
|---|---|
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.0 % |
| Vitamin B-6 | 21.3 % |
| Vitamin C | 15.8 % |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 % |
| Vitamin E | 2.0 % |
| Calcium | 3.7 % |
| Copper | 14.2 % |
| Folate | 8.3 % |
| Iron | 13.3 % |
| Magnesium | 25.2 % |
| Manganese | 82.4 % |
| Niacin | 18.3 % |
| Pantothenic Acid | 7.6 % |
| Phosphorus | 19.8 % |
| Riboflavin | 7.5 % |
| Selenium | 3.0 % |
| Thiamin | 11.5 % |
| Zinc | 8.4 % |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Buying in Turkey with international shipping
Still can’t buy from Turkey? There is no international shipping We have your back here!
Did you know that it is now possible to shop online on Turkish websites without actually being in Turkey The article we have created will guide you, step by step, through the process of purchasing any product from Turkey. You will be able to order items directly from a Turkish store and have them shipped directly to your door!
Check out this article for tips on buying Turkish products abroad with worldwide delivery.
Best Turkish sites for online shopping
You can buy from many famous Turkish websites that sell different products, most notably the Hebsiburada website.
Amazon Turkey is also considered one of the most important Turkish websites for online shopping, as the e-commerce giant entered the Turkish market in 2018.
Turkey also has N11 and GittiGidiyor, which offer many special offers and discounts.
Is cigkofte Halal
Yes! All the ingredients used in the delicious Vegan kofta is Halal.
Is Cigkofte Kosher
Yes! Cigkofte can be consumed by people who prefer to eat Kosher food.
Cig kofte recipe
Trying to make the best Vegan cig kofte? here is the details
Type: Vegetarian food
Cuisine: Turkish
Keywords: Vegan food, Vegetarian food, Vegan Kofte
Recipe Yield: 12
Calories: 225
Preparation Time: PT40M
Total Time: PT40M
Recipe Ingredients:
- Bulgur
- Water
- Parsley leaves
- Onion
- Red pepper
- Tomato paste
- Pepper paste
- Salt
- pomegranate molasses
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon Juice
Recipe Instructions: Fill a cup halfway with boiling water, then cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 5 minutes. (This will soften the bulgur and cut down on the time it takes to knead it.) Rinse the bulgur and combine it with the finely chopped onions and red pepper flakes in a large round baking tray with 5-6 cm high sides. With the pepper paste, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and salt, knead for another 20 minutes, or until the bulgur is fully softened. For 10 minutes, knead in finely chopped spring onions, parsley leaves, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. (Kneading the cigkofte mixture with a few ice cubes keeps it moist and prevents it from drying out.) The mixture is finished when it reaches the consistency of a smooth paste. Then, with a walnut-sized lump of the mixture in your palm, gently squeeze it to form the distinctive Cig kofte shape. Serve with lettuce leaves on the side. Arrange them on a serving plate. Lettuce leaves can be used as a wrapper. To make the best durum sandwich, spread the cigkofte it on Lavaş.
