Smoky, earthy and spicy koftas are topped with sweet charred onions and sour pickled chillies. I used beef mince to make these koftas, but you could use lamb mince. Black chickpeas may be difficult to find but you could substitute red kidney beans or black beans. Serve with flatbreads, salad and whipped Greek style yoghurt.
Ingredients (makes approx 6 -8 koftas)
For the onion topping:
1 large red onion, sliced
Salt
Olive oil
Water
2 green pickled chillies such as jalapenos, sliced into rounds
For the koftas:
80g cooked black chickpeas (I used tinned)
250g minced beef
1 tbsp whisky
1½ tsp black cardamon
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp hot chilli powder (or hot smoked paprika)
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
A little water or whisky if required, to bind.
Lemon wedges and mint leaves to serve
Method
For the onion topping:
Ingredients (makes approx 6 -8 koftas)
For the onion topping:
1 large red onion, sliced
Salt
Olive oil
Water
2 green pickled chillies such as jalapenos, sliced into rounds
For the koftas:
80g cooked black chickpeas (I used tinned)
250g minced beef
1 tbsp whisky
1½ tsp black cardamon
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp hot chilli powder (or hot smoked paprika)
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
A little water or whisky if required, to bind.
Lemon wedges and mint leaves to serve
Method
For the onion topping:
- Heat the oven to 170C.
- Spread the sliced onion on a baking tray, sprinkle generously with olive oil and a little salt and place in the oven.
- After 10 minutes, add a few splashes of water and turn the onions around so that they cook evenly.
- Cook for a further 10 minutes until the onions are charred but not burnt.
- Add the pickled green peppers and cook a further 5 minutes.
- The onion topping will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for several days until needed.
- Roughly crush the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher.
- Add all the kofta ingredients including the chickpeas to a bowl and use your hands to mix everything together. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a little water or whisky.
- Marinate for a few hours or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 180C.
- Using your hands, form the kofta mixture into 6 to 8 'torpedo' shapes
- Place the koftas on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 30 minutes, turning occasionally until they are golden brown
- Serve with the onion topping, lemon wedges and chopped mint leaves to garnish.