Mushroom Koupes (Bulgur Balls)

First, soak the bulgur wheat. Add it to a large metal bowl with 525ml of boiling water and one stock cube and give it a stir. Cover with a plate and set aside for an hour or two to absorb all of the water.

Finely chop the onion. Finely dice the mushroom. You can also use a food processor but make sure to pulse the onion and mushroom separately if you do. Don’t overfill the bowl and pulse slowly, scraping down the sides to make sure that you end up with a nice chunky texture.

Finely chop the herbs and mince the garlic.

Add 3 tbsp of olive oil to a saucepan and fry the onion with a sprinkle of salt for 2-3 mins on medium heat, until they’re starting to become translucent but not browned. Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry until softened and cooked through. Add more olive oil if it starts to become dry. Add the cinnamon and set aside.

Wipe the pan clean and lightly toast the pine nuts. Mix through the mushrooms. Add the zest of one lemon and the chopped herbs.

When the bulgur wheat is cool, add the flour and knead for 3-5 mins until the mixture comes together and is not crumbly.

To form the koupes, take 50g of the bulgur mix and roll it into a ball. With your finger, press a hole into the ball and open it up, pressing the sides evenly to make the hole bigger. Fill it with 1 tbsp of the mushroom mixture, and close up the hole by carefully pushing the bulgur dough over the hole. They don’t have to be perfectly round, they often come in an oblong shape, too. (See the video for a visual on how to do this.) Repeat to make about 12 balls.

To fry, fill a saucepan with enough oil to cover the koupes and heat to 180°C. Deep fry in batches for 3-5 mins until browned. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining koupes and serve immediately.

Serve with plenty of lemon, as they are best eaten with a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice squeezed into the cracked open koupes.

They keep for 2 days, sealed in the fridge. To reheat, pop them in the oven for 5 mins to crisp up again.