Fish Koftas In Tomato And Cardamom Sauce Food

FISH KOFTAS IN TOMATO AND CARDAMOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Start with the sauce: In a large sauté pan (choose one that has a lid), heat olive oil, garlic, half the sliced chile pepper and a good pinch of salt over medium-low heat. Gently fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and golden. Remove 2 tablespoons of the oil (with some of the chile and garlic) and set aside.
• Add celery, shallot and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the same pan and continue to cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, lime zest and juice and the cardamom and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 1/2 cups/350 milliliters water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, turning the heat down if the sauce bubbles too much, and stirring once in a while.
• While the sauce is simmering, make the fish koftas: Add fish, pistachios, herbs, lime zest, chile and egg to a bowl with 3 tablespoons potato flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt and mix together well. Grease your hands with a little oil and roll the mix into approximately 12 golf-sized balls (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces/45 to 50 grams each), applying pressure to compact them as you go. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour so they are coated.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes, turning throughout until all sides are golden-brown and crisp. (Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside if it finishes before you finish the koftas.)
• After the sauce has been cooking for 20 minutes, transfer the balls into the sauce, drizzling over some of the frying oil (or return the sauce to medium heat). Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 4 minutes, until hot.
• Remove the lid and scatter the herbs and the remaining fresh chile over the top, then drizzle with the reserved garlic and chile oil. Serve hot, with lime juice added to taste, or with lime wedges alongside.

MOROCCAN KOFTE WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak eight wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes, to stop them burning.
• Using your hands, mix the meat in a bowl with the onion, coriander, mint and plenty of seasoning. Shape into 8 sausages, about 10cm long, then thread a bamboo skewer through the centre of each.
• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and briefly fry. Add tomatoes, harissa, sugar and seasoning. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until sauce has thickened.
• Grill the kofte for 6-8 mins, turning until they are nicely browned (be careful not to burn the skewers). Spoon the sauce over a warm platter, drizzle over the yogurt and put the kofte on top. Scatter with pine nuts and serve with pittas or couscous (recipe, below).

SHEET PAN KOFTA AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.
• Grate 1 of the onions into a large bowl. Add the ground meat, turmeric, sumac, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well using your hands or a spoon. Add the cilantro and mix again to combine.
• Wet your hands with some water (to avoid the mixture sticking to your hands), divide the mixture into 8 pieces and form each one into an oval patty. Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet.
• Cut the tomatoes into quarters and cut the remaining onion into large chunks. Place both on the baking sheet between the koftas. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until the koftas are fully cooked and the vegetables have softened, about 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the vegetables are slightly charred in spots and the kofta are browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

BAKED KOFTA BALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400'F.
• Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch oven proof dish or pan with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil so all of it is well covered. If you want to use more then do, these balls will stick to the bottom.
• Grate the cauliflower and cabbage. I used my food processor and it saved a lot of time.
• Put all the other ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl and add the grated cauliflower and cabbage. Mix until well combined.
• Let the mixture sit for about 20-30 minutes so the moisture from the veggies is absorbed by the flour, this will ensure that the mixture will stick together and you can roll it into balls.
• Roll into 1 inch balls. I found squeezing them back and forth in my hands worked well.
• Place the Kofta balls in the oiled casserole dish.
• Drizzle a little more olive oil over each Kofta ball.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The Kofta should be a nice golden colour when you remove them.
• Let them cool for a few minutes. If they stick gently slide a spatula under each ball to remove.
• Put the Kofta balls in another dish.
• Spread 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Place the Kofta balls on the sauce.
• Pour the rest of the sauce on top. I added a little water to the jar to get the rest of the sauce out. Let them sit for about one hour. The Kofta balls will absorb the sauce very well.
• You can reheat the Kofta balls in the microwave or in the oven.
• Bon Apetit!