Fellah Kofte, Spicy Bulgur Dumplings in Garlic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
• 1 cup fine bulgur
• 1 cup hot water for soaking (+ 2 liter for cooking)
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp chili paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt (extra 1 tbsp to season the boiling water)
• 1 egg
Sauce:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 large or 6 medium cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp chili flakes or paprika powder
• 1 tbsp chili paste
• 2 medium tomatoes, grated or tomato puree 200 g
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried mint
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Garnish:
• Parsley, 1/2 bunch, chopped 1 cup
• Optional to taste: 1/4 cup crushed walnuts, lemon wedges or garlic yogurt
Instructions:
1. Add 1 cup bulgur in a bowl or tray and add 1 cup hot water, mix and let it soak for 15 mins
2. For the sauce, finely chop or grate 5 cloves of garlic, grate tomatoes or use 200 g tomato puree
3. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat
4. Add the garlics, 2 tsp chili flakes, stir and cook for few seconds until fragrant
5. Add the chili paste, stir in and add the tomato puree
6. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp dried mint
7. Cook and stir occassionally over medium low heat for about 10 minutes
8. Turn off the heat and set aside the sauce in the pan
9. Remove the cover over the bulgur, add 3 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp chili paste, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp salt
10. Finally crack and add 1 egg into the bowl, mix until combined
11. Knead with your hands or a stand mixer for 15 mins until it’s like a dough
12. Occassionally wet your hands while kneading to prevent the mixture from drying and cracking
13. Take small grape size pieces, roll in your palms into 1 cm – 1/2 inch balls
14. Press and shape with your finger tips to make a small dent in each ball
15. Transfer the balls on a lightly floured tray or surface
16. Bring 2 liters water to a boil in a large pot and season with 1 tbsp salt
17. Add the bulgur balls into the boiling water and gently stir to avoid sticking
18. Cook in batches for 5 mins until the balls float, keep ¼ cup of the cooking water for later
19. Remove the cooked koftes and drain and set aside covered in a tray or large bowl
20. Re-heat the sauce in the pan, add ¼ cup cooking water from, stir until slightly reduced
21. Add 1 tbsp pomegranate sauce and ¼ cup crushed walnuts
22. Transfer the koftes into the sauce, gently stir to coat them in the sauce and turn off the heat
23. Roughly chop ½ bunch of parsley and garnish with chopped parsley
24. Serve with lemon wedges (lemon juice to taste) or garlic yogurt