Place the extra fine bulgur in a cup and pour the boiling water on it and close the top of the cup with kitchen towel and wait 5 minutes. (This will help the bulgur to get soften and you won't need to knead long time).

Rinse the bulgur and place it together with the finely chopped onions, red pepper flakes and in a large round baking tray with 5-6 cm high sides. (Do not add spring onions and parsley leaves yet. We will add them later.)

Knead the mixture for 10 minutes with the base of your palm. 

Add the minced meat (OPTIONAL), pepper paste, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, salt and continue to knead 20 minutes until the bulgur fully soften. 

Add the finly chopped spring onions, pasley leaves and 2 tbsp vegetable oil and knead 10 minutes. (Adding few ice cubes helps the Çiğ Köfte mixture not to get dry. It helps it to stay moisturized during kneading).

The mixture is ready when it becomes a smooth paste form. Then, grab a walnut-sized lump of the mixture and squeeze softly in your palm to give the special Çiğ Köfte form.

Line up them on serving plate and serve with lettuce leaves aside. You can use lettuce leaves as a wrapper.