Lamb Koftas are a quick and simple way to spice up some staple minced lamb.
The kofta is a dish cooked in various forms from the west coast of North Africa through to the Indian sub-continent and Central Asia. In the Middle East they are predominantly made using lamb, but you can find versions made with chicken, pork, beef, mutton as well as vegetarian takes.
Serving options are equally varied, in many countries they are served in a sauce or gravy others simply grilled and served with flatbreads.
We have gone for an eastern med/middle eastern take for our recipe but feel free to mix-up the spices depending on what you have to hand.
Ingredients
Serves 2-4
- 500g minced lamb
- 1x onion, very finely chopped or grated
- 3x garlic cloves, very finely chopped or grated
- 1x tsp cumin
- 1x tsp ground coriander
- 1x tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 30g of pine nuts, finely chopped
- Small bunch of mint, finely chopped
- Small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
- Salt & pepper
For the cucumber yoghurt
- 300g greek yoghurt
- 2x tbsp olive oil (garlic infused if available)
- 1/3 cucumber, grated
- Small bunch of mint, finely chopped
- 1x lemon, halved
Method
1. Combine the lamb and all of the ingredients until they are evenly mixed. Form into sausages or meatballs and slide onto small wooden skewers. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours.
2. For the cucumber yoghurt, grate the cucumber, place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 20 minutes. Decant on to kitchen roll to absorb any excess moisture. Combine yoghurt with cucumber, olive oil, mint and finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside for a couple of hours.
3. Griddle or pan-fry the koftas, turning regularly until they are browned all over and cooked through. Serve with pitta, salad leaves and spoonfuls of cucumber yoghurt.
The recipe works equally well for a fantastic lamb burger. Some ingredients may be in short supply so switch out for whatever you have to hand – for example fresh lemon could be switched for white wine vinegar, fresh herbs for dried…