Turkish Spicy Meatless Steak Tartar Recipe

Classic turkish-style steak tartar, better known as i kfte (chee' kuf-tay'), is made with very high quality, fat-free beef that is minced and kneaded together with fine bulgur, pepper, tomato paste, onion, garlic, and a mixture of turkish spices. It's a regional dish from the southeastern part of turkey with a lot of history behind it. Due to a higher awareness of food health and more and more stringent regulations, many people today opt for a modern, vegetarian version of this ancient turkish dish. Some meatless versions of i kfte are so authentic, you can't tell them from the real thing. The key is in the kneadingthe longer you knead the mixture, the better the texture will be. Be sure to let your mixture rest for at least five hours before serving it. This recipe calls for turkish isot biber, a pepper with an intense and unusual flavor. It has a complex taste that is earthy and spicy while being sweet and smoky at the same time. If you can't find isot biber, you can substitute mexican chipotle.