Spicy Mini Kofta – Plain or Pink
Kofta all stunning in pink
These flavour packed little meatballs are versatile: you can serve them on their own as finger food or at a picnic; you can turn them into a evening meal by combining them with flatbread, pita or couscous salad.
Make a double batch and keep some in your freezer – pull them out in the morning and have them waiting for you when you get home from work for an effortless meal.
The other week I hosted a baby shower and discovered you can also make them fabulously pink!
…just as tasty plain…
Ingredients
(the basic kofta recipe is slightly adapted from ”Kitchen Classics: Picnic Hamper”
the inspiration for adding beet came from the blog “Off the Spork” and was in turn based on Nigel Slater recipe)
approx. 30
½-1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 fresh red chili
2 tbsp fresh mint
1 tbsp fresh parsley
500g lamb mince (or beef and pork)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
¼ cinnamon powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
a few dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt, pepper
For red meatballs:
150-200g raw beetroot
Recipe
- (For pink meatballs: peel and shred or grate the beetroot. Make sure you wear gloves.)
- Chop onion, garlic, chili, mint and parsley.
- Combine all the ingredients. (Do not overwork them meat.)
- Form little balls (using about 1 ½ tsp of meat at a time.) It is advisable to fry one ball to check the taste. I usually find myself adjusting the seasoning.
- You can let the balls sit in the fridge for an hour to make them easier to fry without them falling apart. (Although I usually do not bother).
- Fry the meatballs on all sides until just cooked.
- The meatballs can be made ahead and even frozen.
- If frozen, defrost (in the fridge).
- Place in an oven dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Heat at 180C for approx 10 minutes.
Serve with
- Dip Sauce: Yoghurt, grated cucumber, chopped mint, salt pepper.
- Bread: Spelt Yoghurt Flatbread or Pita
- Or a filling salad: Couscous salad for example
Or as part of a pink-themed baby shower
afra cooking 