Delicious koftas that are fuss-free and packed with flavor. This one bowl recipe comes together without much effort. Baking them in the oven saves time, but the koftas can also be pan fried. Pair them with any sauce of your choice, a green salad and some pita (or flatbread) for an easy weekday meal. You can also use the same recipe to make seekh or koobideh kebabs.

Recipe

Baked Koftas

(Makes about 24 koftas)

Ingredients

500 grams minced lamb or goat
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp hummus/chickpea flour/bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp spice mix such as baharat, ras el hanout or garam masala
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp sumac (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp saffron strands
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp melted ghee, for greasing and basting
2-3 tbsp feta cheese, for stuffing (optional)

Lime wedges, pickled onions, crumbled feta and chopped herbs, for garnish

Method

Add all the ingredients except the feta into a large mixing bowl. Use clean hands to mix everything together until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a blender/food processor and blend for a few seconds (this makes the meat elastic). Transfer the kofta mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. This mixture can be rolled into balls and frozen for up to a month.

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Brush a sheet pan or baking tray with ghee.

Remove the kofta mixture from the refrigerator. Divide it into about 24 equal portions (I use a small cookie scoop to do this).

Flatten each portion and place a little feta in the middle (this step is optional). Roll into balls and place the koftas on the greased baking sheet.

Brush the koftas lightly with some melted ghee and bake for 12-15 minutes. Switch to the broiler mode for an additional 2-3 minutes to brown the koftas. Alternately, you can shallow fry the koftas in a nonstick pan over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until they are evenly browned on all sides.

Remove from the oven and transfer the koftas onto a serving platter. Squeeze some fresh lime juice over them. Garnish with pickled onions, crumbled feta and chopped herbs. Serve immediately with any sauce of your choice (I served them on a bed of fresh rocket leaves with some homemade hummus, moutabal and muhammara).