Turkish Red Lentil Köfte Salad | In Crisp Romaine Lettuce Leaves

Rinse the red lentils thoroughly in cold water, then place them in a saucepan with 600 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and have absorbed most of the water.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the fine bulgur, mix thoroughly, then cover the pan and let it sit for 15-20 minutes so that the bulgur softens and swells from the remaining moisture and steam of the lentils.

Heat 30 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add the finely chopped onion, and sauté until translucent in 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, and ground cumin, then fry for another 2 minutes to bring out the aroma of the spices.