Chee kufta

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Chee kufta, Turkish çiğ köfte (Turkish pronunciation: [ˌtʃiː køfˈte], literally “raw meat patty”) is a raw meat dish in Turkish, very similar to kibbeh nayyeh and to a lesser extent to steak tartare. It is made with either beef or lamb, and usually served as an appetizer in both Armenian and Turkish cuisines.

History

According to lore, çiğ köfte was invented in Urfa at the time of prophet Ibrahim (Abraham). When Nemrud (Nimrod) collected all firewood in Urfa in order to build a monumental execution pyre, the wife of a hunter had to prepare venison raw. She mixed the meat with bulgur, herbs and spices and crushed the mixture with stone implements until it was palatable.

 Meat differences

In the beef variant, ground beef is used. Tendons and fat are removed before grinding the beef. Relatively expensive high-quality beef has to be used so that the meat can be safely served raw. London broil or top round are recommended choices for the ground beef.^[1][2]

Since lamb is considered a “clean meat”, and popular in Armenian cuisine, it is often used for chee kufta instead of beef. Both Armenians and Turks use chee kufta as a meze (Middle-Eastern appetizer), served almost freezing. The raw meat is not kept overnight and is reserved for special occasions. The lamb used must be deboned, degristled, and trimmed before it is prepared. The lamb is supposed to be butchered, bought, and prepared the very same day to ensure freshness.^[3]

With either meat, finely ground bulgur Other ingredients are mild onions, scallions, parsley, and usually green pepper. Variants of the dish may use tomato sauce, Tabasco, and mint leaves. When served, it may be gathered into balls, or in one piece. Crackers or pita bread are sometimes used to consume it.^[2][3][4]

In Turkey, there are two no-meat versions for vegetarians. In Siverek district of Şanlıurfa, scrambled eggs are used instead of meat.  although it resembles çiğ köfte in its conception, with more numerous and exclusively non-animal ingredients, is a dish that stands on its own.  (see   my recipe  http://www.nursendogan.com/ing/2009/08/raw-kofteh-vegetarian-etsiz-cig-kofte/ 

In Turkish, the dish is called çiğ köfte /tʃiː kʲøfte/ ‘uncooked köfte’; it can also be written as one word, çiğköfte. It is a favorite Turkish snack and a specialty of southeastern Turkey, especially Şanlıurfa.

Bulgur is kneaded with chopped onions and water until it gets soft. Then tomato and pepper paste, spices and very finely ground beef are added. This absolutely fatless raw mincemeat is treated with spices while kneading the mixture, which is said to “cook” the meat. Lastly, green onions, fresh mint and parsley are mixed in.

One spice that is associated with çiğ köfte, and with Şanlıurfa as a whole, is isot, a very dark, almost blackish paprika, prepared in a special manner, and which is considered as indispensable for an authentically local preparation of çiğ köfte . Although, isot is famous as the special dried pepper that is locally produced by farmers of Şanlıurfa, in fact, it is a general word used for pepper in Şanlıurfa.

A favorite way of eating çiğ köfte is rolled in a lettuce leaf, accompanied with good quantities of ayran  ( yogurt mix with iced water. its popular drink) to counter-act the burning sensation that this very spicy food will give. Popular culture references  and  eaten

In an episode of Taxicab Confessions set in Las Vegas, a young male Armenian tourist confirms to the cabdriver that his buddy (also a young male Armenian) is right that he would marry a woman who could prepare good chee kufta.^[5]

 References

• Friends of Anatolia, Issue 3, April 25, 2005

 External links

• Recipes for chee kufta (khema), Adventures in Armenian Cooking, St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church.

 

This meze dish (appetizer)  is  popular all over Turkey,although it orginated in southeastern Turkey.

A spcially the men knead it . Because bugur is to hard,must be kneaded  well to get soft. It is used in many special ceremonies.   Mostly the men get together at night to knead ant eat –cig kofte–while singing songs and playing a saz–a traditional Turkish musical instrument and drink ”Raki” which is an anise -flovored Turkish  drink..

You can see many shops (kafe ) only sells –cig kofte– on the streets of cites.

INGREDIENTS

1steak ,fat removed

1cup fine bulgur

1tbls red peper flakes

1tbls hot red pepper flakes or paste (optional)

1onion ,grated

1clove  garlic. minced

2tomatoes, grated

1teaspoon salt

1teaspoon  ground cumin

1teaspoon black pepper

5-6 green onions,chopped

1cup parsley chopped

Romanie lettuce leaves ,mint and lemon slices for garnish

 FOR SALSA

2tomatoes ,chopped

1onion ,chopped

1cup parsley.chopped

1cup walnuts,chopped

1lemon juice or   1tbls pomegrante syrup

2-3tbls virgin olive oil 

apinch salt

1teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)

Miks all  the salsa ingredients and let chill .

METHOD

Place  the steak onto flat clean surface and beat for 6-7munites. Or ground or use a food processor to beat the steak

(use the pure setting).Combine bulgur ,pepper flakes, paste, salt.cumin and onion.Knead together. Add 2-3 table spoons ice  water. Add the tomatoes and contiune  kneading  or ten munites.

If knead by hands ;dip your hands  accosionally into a bowl of iced water ,and knead  the mixture until  well blended  for 25-30 munites. The mixture must be like a cookie dough.

Keeping your hands wet ,from the mixture into egg-sized patties. Arrange on a serving dish with lemon slices  ,lettuce leaves  and tortias. Salsa in a  bowl in the middle of the plate.

You can serve on tortias as a sandvich.  or on  lettuce leaves.

 

ALTERNATIVE  SERVING

If  you dont like eat raw meat. Knead the ingredients without of the steak.

Ground the steak , 1chopped onion, 1tablespoon butter put together in a pan . Cook  and stir accasionally for 5munites .Add  a pinch  salt

1teaspoon paprika, 1/2teaspoon black pepper 1/2teaspoon sugar and some tabossco (optinal) stir cook 5munites . Remove from the heat .

 

Cook 1/2cup chopped wallnuts for 2munites in apan and add tothe mixture. Also add 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Serve cig kofte  cooked meat, pita and lemeon slices vedges.

serve as an sandvich .

ENJOY!  as  we say in Turkish ; AFIYET OLSUN!