Toasted coconut adds a delicious slightly sweet and nutty taste to these koftas and works really well with the toasted spices. Unsweetened coconut water added to the flatbread makes a lovely soft dough and adds sweetness. Adding coconut water to the salsa is optional. I think that together with the fish sauce it gives the salsa a slightly meaty flavour - or at least, that is the best way I can describe it.
For the Koftas:
Ingredients
250g minced lamb
4 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
½ tsp each of fennel, cumin and coriander seeds
½ tsp cinnamon powder
2 or 3 green chillies of your choice, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Method
Ingredients
100g strong white bread flour
½ tsp baking powder
4 tbsp coconut water
½ tsp salt
Oil for frying
Method
Ingredients
50g fresh tomatoes
40g red onion
10g fresh coriander leaves/stalks
2 tbsp coconut water (optional)
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
½ tbsp Thai fish sauce
Salt to taste
Method
For the Koftas:
Ingredients
250g minced lamb
4 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
½ tsp each of fennel, cumin and coriander seeds
½ tsp cinnamon powder
2 or 3 green chillies of your choice, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Method
- Toast the fennel, cumin & coriander seeds in a hot dry pan for a few seconds to release their aroma being careful not to burn them. Place in a spice grinder.
- Toast the coconut in the pan until it turns golden brown. Add to the spice grinder and grind the spices and coconut to a fine powder.
- Place the lamb in a bowl together with coconut, spice powder & cinnamon.
- Mix everything thoroughly together. There is only one sensible way to do this - with your hands.
- Cover and place the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight, to allow the flavours to mingle.
- Divide the mixture into 6 pieces and shape into sausage/torpedo shapes. Place on skewers. Each piece should weigh approx. 45g.
- You can now cook the koftas using the method of your choice - either under a hot grill (broiler), on an outdoor grill or BBQ or in a grill pan, turning them several times until cooked through (approx. 15-20 mins). Mine were cooked in a grill pan.
Ingredients
100g strong white bread flour
½ tsp baking powder
4 tbsp coconut water
½ tsp salt
Oil for frying
Method
- Mix all the dry ingredients together then add the coconut water slowly until the mixture just comes together. You may not need all the coconut water.
- Knead the dough for a few minutes until dough becomes smooth.
- Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Divide and shape the dough into 2 balls and roll out into oval or tear drop shapes.
- Heat a large frying pan on high and add a little oil.
- Place one flatbread in the pan and cook for a few minutes until you see the dough bubbling on the surface.
- Turn the bread and cook on the other side for a few minutes, lightly pressing the edges down with a spatula. Remove from pan and wrap in a cloth whilst you cook the second flatbread.
Ingredients
50g fresh tomatoes
40g red onion
10g fresh coriander leaves/stalks
2 tbsp coconut water (optional)
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
½ tbsp Thai fish sauce
Salt to taste
Method
- Finely chop the tomatoes, onion and coriander.
- Place all the ingredients except the salt in a bowl and mix well. Add salt to taste.