Lamb Koftas With Cucumber Raita Food

LAMB KOFTAS WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Place onion, ginger, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add mint, cilantro, garam masala, salt, and pepper; pulse until finely chopped, scraping sides as needed. Add egg and lamb; process until fully combined, scraping down sides as needed.
• Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; flatten into patties. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat; add oil. When hot, add patties in batches; cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• Insert a toothpick or skewer into each patty; place on a platter. Serve with raita, and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

GROUND LAMB KOFTO KEBABS WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE, BENGALI-SPICED POTATOES AND PERSIAN CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• For the raita: Mix the cucumber, mint, garlic, and yogurt together in a large bowl with plenty of salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill.
• For the potatoes: Fill a large pot with cool water and put over high heat. Add the potatoes and a hefty dose of salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and push them through a potato ricer. Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the panch puran seasoning. Cook the seasoning blend until fragrant and the spices begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute until tender and lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the potatoes and flatten them with a spatula, cook about 5 minutes, stirring and flattening a few times, until the bottom gets a little crispy. Season the potatoes with salt, and pepper, to taste, and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the parsley, mint, shallot, lemon zest, and garlic and pulse until finely minced. Add the mixture to a bowl with the ground lamb, baking soda and lots of salt and pepper, to taste. Knead until the mixture turns sticky, looks like a piece of knitted fabric, and holds its shape. Pull off a small ball of meat and shape into a fat cylinder. Thread a skewer through the middle lengthwise, and smooth the meat down the skewer until it's even all the way down. Repeat with rest of the meat mixture. Put the kebabs on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little more oil. Combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Light a grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, generously brushing with the pomegranate mixture. Cook the kebabs until browned, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and serve with the potatoes and raita on the side.
• For the raita: Mix the cucumber, mint, garlic, and yogurt together in a large bowl with plenty of salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill.
• For the potatoes: Fill a large pot with cool water and put over high heat. Add the potatoes and a hefty dose of salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and push them through a potato ricer. Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the panch puran seasoning. Cook the seasoning blend until fragrant and the spices begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute until tender and lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the potatoes and flatten them with a spatula, cook about 5 minutes, stirring and flattening a few times, until the bottom gets a little crispy. Season the potatoes with salt, and pepper, to taste, and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the parsley, mint, shallot, lemon zest, and garlic and pulse until finely minced. Add the mixture to a bowl with the ground lamb, baking soda and lots of salt and pepper, to taste. Knead until the mixture turns sticky, looks like a piece of knitted fabric, and holds its shape. Pull off a small ball of meat and shape into a fat cylinder. Thread a skewer through the middle lengthwise, and smooth the meat down the skewer until it's even all the way down. Repeat with rest of the meat mixture. Put the kebabs on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little more oil. Combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Light a grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, generously brushing with the pomegranate mixture. Cook the kebabs until browned, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and serve with the potatoes and raita on the side.

CUCUMBER RAITA FOR LAMB KOFTAS

Steps:

• Cut cucumber into 1/4-inch dice. Transfer to a bowl; add yogurt, mint, lime juice, and salt. Stir to combine. Heat a skillet over medium heat; add oil. When very hot, add mustard seeds; cook until they pop. Add to yogurt mixture; stir to combine.

KOFTE KEBABS WITH CUCUMBER MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix together yogurt, cucumber, mint, salt, and garlic for the cucumber-mint sauce in a small bowl and keep chilled while preparing kebabs.
• Combine ingredients for kebabs in a bowl and mix together, squeezing with fingers to incorporate until smooth.
• Shape the meat into 8 flat torpedo shapes, about 5-inches long by 2-inches wide.
• Prepare grill or heat skillet.
• Cook kebabs for 6-8 minutes, turning to cook all sides.
• Serve 2 kebabs on each pita or lavash with cucumber-mint sauce.

CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Stir together the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
• FOOTNOTES:.
• To make your own Greek yogurt, place 2 1/2 cups of plain, nonfat yogurt in a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Place over a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Discard the liquid collected in the bowl, and proceed with the recipe!

LAMB KOFTAS

Steps:

• Mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Divide into eight balls, then roll each ball on a board with a cupped hand to turn them into ovals. Thread onto four metal skewers and brush with oil.
• To cook on a griddle: heat the pan until you can feel a good heat rising and cook for 3-4 mins each side. Don't turn until they are well sealed or the meat will stick to the grill or pan.
• Season if you want, and set aside. Serve the koftas with yogurt and spiced flat breads.

LAMB KOFTAS WITH BEETROOT & APPLE RAITA

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Toss the onion with half the lemon juice, plus some seasoning, and set aside.
• Using your hands, mix the mince with 3 tsp of the garam masala and some seasoning. Divide the mix into 6, then roll each into a long thin sausage. Insert a skewer along the length of each kofta, then grill for 5 mins each side until cooked through. If using wooden skewers, soak them for 10 mins first.
• Make the raita as the lamb cooks. Mix together the yogurt, apple, beetroot, the remaining garam masala, the lemon juice and some seasoning. Serve the koftas with the onions, raita, lemon wedges, coriander leaves and cooked rice or wraps.