Lamb Kofta with Lemon Couscous
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Kofta are traditionally made with lamb, but pork or beef mince can also be used. Warm naan bread is a great accompaniment.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
Kofta
500 grams lamb mince
2 slices day old white bread, crusts removed
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons dried mint
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons Moroccan seasoning
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 x 400 gram tin chopped Italian tomatoes
¼ cup water
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
To serve
1 cup couscous
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
finely grated zest 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
thick plain yoghurt
paprika for dusting
METHOD
Kofta: Rip the bread into small pieces and combine with the milk in a large bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, season generously and combine well.
Roll into 24 walnut-sized balls.
Heat a little olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium high heat and brown the kofta on all sides, shaking the pan occasionally then transfer to a plate. The kofta will not be fully cooked at this point.
If needed, add a little more oil to the pan, then cook the onion, capsicum, garlic and allspice with a good pinch of salt until tender. Add the tomatoes and water and bring to the boil. Add the kofta and any meat juices to the sauce, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes or until the kofta are cooked through.
To serve: Combine the couscous, water, olive oil and lemon zest with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Cover and leave for 10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and stir in the parsley.
Divide the kofta and couscous between bowls and serve with a spoonful of yoghurt topped with a pinch of paprika.
Pantry note: Moroccan seasoning is available in the spice section at supermarkets.
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