These lentils balls are not only delicious but they are healthy too because they are oven baked! I have prepared pan fried balls many times, but they can never get as good as if oven baked. Oven baked balls are soft, moist and crunchy on the outside. Try them out, you won’t regret it!
Ingredients:
250 grams (9 oz) dry red lentils
120 grams 94 oz) bulgur
1 large onion, cut into fine small pieces
1-2 table spoons unflavored oil for cooking the onion
3-4 table spoons unflavored oil for the dough
A pinch of safran
1 tea spoon coriander
1 tea spoon cinnamon
80 grams (3 oz) fine bread crumbs
Salt & pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese for rolling the balls
Preheat your oven to 190C/375F (grill, fan-forced).
Boil the lentils according to the package instructions.
Put the bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with hot water, make sure to add extra water, which the bulgur needs as it will absorb it. Leave it for about 20 minutes or until softens and then drain.
Add the bulgur, lentils, coriander, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to a large bowl.
Cook the onions in the olive oil until nice and soft and then add to the lentils mixture. Mix all ingredients good and add a few more table spoons of olive oil to taste.
Using an ice-cream scoop divide the batter into small balls, shape the balls with your hands, then dip and roll into the shredded Parmesan cheese. The dough may seem too soft and hard to work with, but I think that is not a good idea to add too much flour, bread or bread crumbs for firming the dough additionally because after the baking the balls will be too dry and tough. With this soft dough you will take out of the oven nice and moist balls on the inside, but firm and crunchy on the outside.
So, place the balls on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the balls form nice crunchy crust from the Parmesan cheese. They will still be soft on the inside but nice and firm on the outside (which is what we aim for).
Serve with mix green salad.
