Ingredients:

• 2 cups of bulgur wheat
• 2 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 a tsp of salt
• Corn oil for frying

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/2 a kilo of minced pork
• 3 large onions finely chopped
• 1/4 bunch of parsley finely chopped
• Corn oil for frying
• Salt and plenty of pepper

Method:

– Pour the water in a saucepan, add the salt and bring to boil.
– Add to the boiling water the bulgur, remove from the heat and set aside until is completely cold.
– In the meantime sauté the chopped onions until they are soft.
– Add the minced meat and salt and pepper.
– Simmer until is cooked, adding the chopped parsley towards the end of cooking.
– Once the minced meat is cooked, remove from the heat and drain the excess oil.
– Once the bulgur mixture is completely cold, knead well.
– Take some bulgur mixture, (Depending on how big you want to make your Koupes) knead in your hands and shape into a ball.
– Using your thumb, form an opening in the center of the ball mixture and work it until you form a tube with thin walls.
– Wet your hands occasionally with water when forming the bulgur tubes.
– Some people use a little stick the thickness of your thumb to form the tube.
– Either way you decide to use will serve the purpose of making a tube with thin walls.
– Making sure one end of the tube is close, fill the tube with the minced meat mixture, using the handle of a teaspoon to stuff it to the end.
– Once the bulgur tube is filled, close the other end by just pinching the walls.
– Fry the Koupes (Bulgur & Minced Meat Croquettes) in plenty of hot oil, a few at a time until they are golden brown allover.
– Remove from the hot oil and place on a kitchen paper towel to drain any excess oil.
– Koupes (Bulgur & Minced Meat Croquettes) are served hot and they can be eaten as a snack or as an appetizer.
– Koupes (Bulgur & Minced Meat Croquettes) are very popular in Cyprus and especially at festivals wherever they happen to be.
– Note:
– Koupes can be made vegetarian, by replacing the minced meat with mushrooms and other vegetables of choice finely chopped.