Spiced Lamb Kofta with Smashed Cucumber, Almonds and Yoghurt

, from Issue #86. November, 2019
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Spiced Lamb Kofta with Smashed Cucumber, Almonds and Yoghurt
Spiced Lamb Kofta with Smashed Cucumber, Almonds and Yoghurt

I love this combination of warm spicy kofta with cool yoghurt and crunchy cucumbers.

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

Kofta 
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
600 grams lamb mince (I used Greenlea Butcher Shop)
2 tablespoons currants, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice mix
small handful parsley, finely chopped
sea salt and ground pepper
oil for cooking

Smashed Cucumber
1 small telegraph cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed finely
grated zest 1 lemon
sea salt and ground pepper
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

To serve
1 cup thick plain yoghurt
4 flatbreads, 2 warmed, 2 set aside for lunch
fresh mint leaves
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons dukkah

METHOD

Kofta: Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and mix to combine well. Form into 9 sausages.

Heat a little oil in a sauté pan and cook over a medium-low heat until golden and fully cooked. Set aside 3 kofta for lunch. 

Smashed cucumber: Cut the cucumber into small irregular chunks and place in a bowl with the salt. Massage the salt into the cucumber with your fingers for 30 seconds. Leave for 5 minutes then drain off all the liquid.

Stir the oil, garlic and zest together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the cucumber and spring onions and combine.

To serve: Swirl the yoghurt on the warm flatbreads and spoon over the smashed cucumber. Top each plate with 3 kofta then scatter over the mint, almonds and dukkah. Serves 2