Moroccan Kofta and Carrot Slaw
Have you ever had kofta? They’re essentially Middle Eastern meatballs, prepared with ground meat (usually beef and/or lamb) and sometimes with the addition of bulgur. I used to love a kofta plate from the Sultan’s Kitchen when I worked downtown. These are a loose interpretation – not authentic, but very very tasty. I made this last week and both D. and I loved it. Don’t be afraid of the ingredient list – these, the rice and the accompanying carrot slaw will all come together in 45 minutes tops.
Moroccan Kofta and Carrot Slaw (adapted from Cooking Light)
For the kofta:
2 T. tomato paste ½ t. salt ½ t. ground coriander ½ t. fennel seeds, crushed (use either a mortar and pestle, or else put ‘em in a heavy Ziploc bag and bang on them with a skillet) ¼ t. ground cumin ¼ t. ground cinnamon 1/8 t. ground ginger 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 large egg Cooking spray
For the sauce:
1 c. fat-free Greek yogurt 2 t. tahini 1 t. lemon zest (please splurge and buy an organic lemon for this!) Juice of one lemon 1/8 t. salt 1 clove of garlic, minced
To accompany:
1 c. white basmati rice, cooked according to package directions
For the slaw:
2 T. lemon juice 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil ½ t. ground cumin ¼ t. salt 1/8 t. cayenne pepper (or to taste) 1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper 4 c. shredded carrots (you can buy pre-shredded and make this super-fast) ½ c. green onions, light and dark-green parts only, very thinly sliced ½ c. dried currants
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To prepare the kofta, combine all the ingredients except the cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape into 4 equally-sized patties. Heat a large skillet (cast iron will give you a nice crispy char here) over medium-high heat and spray the pan with cooking spray. Add the kofta to the pan and cook until the center is only slightly pink, about 5 minutes each side.
To prepare the sauce, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl.
To prepare the slaw, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
To serve: Spoon a mound of rice onto each of 4 plates, top with kofta, drizzle sauce over the lot and serve the slaw on the side.
Serves 4.
© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.
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http://www.gardenersfolly.com Jane Lemme
