Lamb Kofta with Garlic Sauce (2024)

These are rather like Eastern Mediterranean meatballs in sausage form, though you can come across them as fat burger-like patties, too. As loose-packed sausages, they’re formed around skewers and turned over an open flame. Since I rarely use a barbecue, but just stare at it being rained on in the garden, I simply fry them in a pan. And much as I like the long lollipop approach, I can’t make a skewer fit in the frying pan, so sausages — albeit highly seasoned and juicy sausages — it is.

I don’t wish to be too prescriptive as to how you should eat them, but I roughly chop some tomatoes and parsley and mix them together in a bowl, to be brought to the table along with some shredded iceberg lettuce and an eye-poppingly intense garlic sauce. Eat them, hot-dog-style, wrapped in warm flatbread.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

These are rather like Eastern Mediterranean meatballs in sausage form, though you can come across them as fat burger-like patties, too. As loose-packed sausages, they’re formed around skewers and turned over an open flame. Since I rarely use a barbecue, but just stare at it being rained on in the garden, I simply fry them in a pan. And much as I like the long lollipop approach, I can’t make a skewer fit in the frying pan, so sausages — albeit highly seasoned and juicy sausages — it is.

I don’t wish to be too prescriptive as to how you should eat them, but I roughly chop some tomatoes and parsley and mix them together in a bowl, to be brought to the table along with some shredded iceberg lettuce and an eye-poppingly intense garlic sauce. Eat them, hot-dog-style, wrapped in warm flatbread.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

• 

  AT MY TABLE

  2017

1. Put all the kofta ingredients — barring the oil — into a large bowl and, with dampened hands and a light touch, mix everything together. While you need everything to be thoroughly combined, it’s important not to make a dense, compact mixture.
2. Line a small baking sheet with cling film, and form 2 heaped-tablespoons of the mixture into a sausage shape, then slightly flatten the sides as this will help them cook more evenly when you fry them. Transfer them onto the lined baking sheet as you go — you should get about 10 kofta.
3. Cover the baking sheet with cling film and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that the kofta firm up a little. While you’re waiting, stir the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt and dried mint together. Your sauce is now made.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the kofta — over a highish heat — for 5 or so minutes each side until just cooked all the way through. Be gentle as you turn them over, so as not to break them up.
5. Serve with the garlic sauce, salad and flatbreads, as wished.

1. Put all the kofta ingredients — barring the oil — into a large bowl and, with dampened hands and a light touch, mix everything together. While you need everything to be thoroughly combined, it’s important not to make a dense, compact mixture.
2. Line a small baking sheet with cling film, and form 2 heaped-tablespoons of the mixture into a sausage shape, then slightly flatten the sides as this will help them cook more evenly when you fry them. Transfer them onto the lined baking sheet as you go — you should get about 10 kofta.
3. Cover the baking sheet with cling film and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that the kofta firm up a little. While you’re waiting, stir the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt and dried mint together. Your sauce is now made.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the kofta — over a highish heat — for 5 or so minutes each side until just cooked all the way through. Be gentle as you turn them over, so as not to break them up.
5. Serve with the garlic sauce, salad and flatbreads, as wished.