Kofta Kebabs with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans on the Side

When I found this recipe in one of the cookbooks with only main meals I was so excited to try. I was always making similar petties, or meatballs or in this case koftas but never used so many spices before (well some of them never ever before:D)
I loved the taste and I loved the smell of these little meatballs. Although they are mostly eaten in flat bread but if you know me you know that I have to make some kind of twist!:)
Even my kids were enjoying eating these for lunch yesterday!

What are "Kofta Kebabs":

They are spicy patties usually made with minced lamb and spiked with aromatic herbs and seasonings. Also they are very popular throughout Middle East and right through the Indian subcontinent.
I served it in homemade pita bread, which didn't came out the way I wanted but you will get the idea how they look and you can use flat bread or better looking pita bread! :D

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb ground beef (or lamb)
• 1/2 cup of plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 bunch of fresh coriander(cilantro), finely chopped
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 smaller onion, finely chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• Pinch of each: cardamom, turmeric and cinnamon
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chopped chilies*optional
• 1 egg, bitten
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Once you done chopping, and mincing combine all above ingredients together. If the mixture doesn't combine well add bit more bread crumbs.
2. The next step is to wet or oil your hands and start forming a larger and thicker patties. I would say if you make a bigger meatball and just push lightly to get the right shape.
3. Heat the non stick frying pan, and I do not use any oil because oil will come out of the patties.
4. Just cook them on each side for about 4 minutes, or until they are brown. You might turned them few times until you achieve that color.
5. Like I said serve it in the flat or pita bread. and any salad that you enjoy, although this dish is usually eaten with some exotic salad such as "oranges sprinkled with cayenne pepper or onions sprinkled with sumac"
6. I serve mine with cold cucumber slices, with shredded radishes with just bit of salt, steamed green beans with garlic slices drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil(season with pinch of salt) , and mashed potatoes made out yellow potatoes.
7. Blend of spices work together very well and I wished that I tried it before!

*Tip:
Make bigger/larger patties when you are forming them, because they will shrink while cooking!

Enjoy!!!

Sandra 

All the images and recipes are ©2011 Sandra's Easy Cooking. All Rights Reserved. 

You cannot copy, or republish (recipes or images) without permission of the author.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.