Recipe Vault

Lamb Kofta Meatballs

Written by

tom

in

Ingredients

Koftas

  • 1/2 onion , grated using a box grater
  • 500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb), or beef
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (sub regular breadcrumbs)
  • 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
  • 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

Kofta Spices

  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp paprika (plain, sub smoked)
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
  • 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Vegetables

  •  1 large red capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
  • 1 large yellow capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
  • 1 red onion , cut into thin wedges
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp each cooking/kosher salt and pepper

Sauce Options

  • 1 quantity Tahini sauce
  • 1 quantity Lemon Yogurt Sauce (or even just plain yogurt)

Serving

  • Olive oil spray (for the meatballs)
  • 4 flatbreads or rice, couscous or cauliflower rice
  • 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (or other leafy greens)
  • 2 tomatoes , halved, cut into thin slices
  • 1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped, optional (for sprinkling)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
  2. Kofta meatballs – Place the Kofta ingredients and spices in a bowl. Use your hands to combine thoroughly then roll 16 large-ish meatballs (I scoop all mixture onto a tray, then roll into balls). Spread them out on a large tray.
  3. Vegetables – Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper. Scatter around the meatballs.
  4. Bake – Spray the meatballs with oil. Bake for 15 minutes then switch the oven to the grill/broiler on high. Cook for a further 5 minutes to get some colour on the surface.
  5. Serve – Sprinkle with the chopped coriander then serve! To make wraps, stuff with lettuce, tomato, meatballs, and the cook capsicum and onion. Drizzle with lots of tahini sauce or Lemon Yogurt Sauce then tuck in! Other ideas: rice or couscous bowls or big salads – see below.

Recipe Notes

Serving Options

  • Wraps – Stuffed in pita bread or flatbreads with lettuce, tomato, drizzled with tahini or yogurt sauce.
  • Bowls – Make bowls with couscous, rice, cauliflower rice or grains/beans (eg lentils – cook using this method).
  • Warm salad – a substantial low-carb dinner with a side of roasted cauliflower (bake prior to meatballs).

Notes

Meat – Lamb is a natural choice for Middle Eastern food but the spice mix is really good with beef too. Chicken will also work but you’ll need to increase the panko else the mixture is a little loose.

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