The Turkish dish of raw meatballs made with bulgur and tomato paste is çiğ köfte.
Çiğ köfte is a spicy, kneaded specialty strongly associated with Şanlıurfa and southeastern Turkey. Its traditional preparation combines finely ground raw meat with fine bulgur, tomato paste, red-pepper paste, onion, herbs, and spices such as isot. The mixture is kneaded until the bulgur softens and the ingredients form a smooth, dense paste that can be shaped by hand.
The name literally means “raw meatball”: çiğ means raw and köfte means meatball. It is commonly served as a meze or appetizer, often shaped into portions and eaten with lettuce, lemon, and sometimes pomegranate molasses.
A major modern distinction is that commercially sold çiğ köfte in Turkey is generally meatless. Public sales of versions containing raw meat were restricted for food-safety reasons, so bulgur-based vegan versions are now widespread. That change does not make the stored answer wrong: the dish’s traditional identity and name remain çiğ köfte.