Lamb kofta is served and eaten by millions from India to Northern Africa and many places in between! These delightful little meatballs make up a dish with thousands of variations in form, size, texture, ingredients, preparation method, cooking technique and accompaniments.
Serving lamb kofta is brilliant in the run-up to summer; they are BBQ stars and go down a treat with adults and children thanks to their versatility. I usually pile them on a plate next to pittas, naans, salad choices including lettuces, cucumber, tomato, spring onion, chopped and sliced cabbage, carrot, red onion, some natural yoghurt/tahini/chilli/garlic sauces and a bowl of fresh chopped parsley, coriander and mint.
In terms of the meat – you can buy ready-minced lamb or if you feel like splashing out, get your butcher to mince some lamb shoulder – the taste is incredible and is well worth the spend if you have some appreciative carnivores.
Lovely Lamb Kofta
Ingredients
400 grams ground lamb (minced lamb)
1 small white onion - chopped finely
3 cloves garlic - crushed
1 medium red chili (red chilli in British English) - chopped finely
1 handful parsley - chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice (also called pimento or Jamaican Pepper)- 1 dash sumac
1 dash cumin
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the spices in a bowl.
- Chop up or crush onion, chilli, parsley and garlic.
- Put your minced lamb into the mixing bowl, add in chopped onion, chilli, parsley and crushed garlic. Next, add your spice mix and (using your hands!).
- Once combined well, starts shaping your lamb mix into kofta.
- Press kofta to compress them well and line them up on a plate.
- Pour oil into your frying pan and put on high heat.
- Place kofta into hot pan and sear, turning to ensure all sides are nicely browned (you can do this in batches if you have a small pan!).
- Once all kofta is seared (it should take about 4 minutes per batch), you can lift it out of the pan and pop it into your lined roasting tray.
- Put into the oven for another 4 minutes (feel free to toss some pine nuts into the roasting tray too). Spoon finished kofta onto plates, sprinkle a little parsley over the top and serve warm.
