Kifta Recipes

KIFTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place potato slices in a thin layer, and fry just until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside on paper towels.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, minced onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and cumin. Press flat into a 7x11 inch baking dish. Arrange potato slices over the meat in an even layer. Place tomato slices over the potato. Top with slices of onion. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the aluminum foil from the top, and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until browned.
• While the kifta is cooking, combine the rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. When kifta is done, cut into squares and serve over rice.

KOFTA KEBABS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear mixture to a coarse paste. Mix the paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt with the meat, onion, parsley, and spices.
• Line a pan with aluminum foil. Divide the meat mixture into 28 rough balls. Mold each piece around the pointed end of a skewer (if you use wooden ones, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading them), making a 2-inch oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. Lay the skewers on the pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare a grill. Brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Working in batches, grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until brown all over and just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tzatziki and flat bread.
• If you're using plain whole milk yogurt, line a small sieve with a coffee filter. Put the yogurt in it, set it over a bowl, and refrigerate 12 hours. Discard the expressed liquid and put yogurt in the bowl.
• Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into another bowl. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons salt and rub into the cucumber with your hands. Set aside 20 minutes, then squeeze the cucumbers to express as much liquid as possible.
• Smash the garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Stir the cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and mint into the yogurt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

MIDDLE EASTERN BAKED KUFTA

Steps:

• What you can do is start by chopping up your parsley in a food chopper until fine.
• Do not use dried parsley.
• Then put the parsley in a large mixing bowl.
• Then cut onion up into pieces-- doesn't matter how small just so you can fit it into the chopper and combine the garlic and chop away until fine-- not pasty though.
• Put the onion garlic mixture in the bowl with the parsley and add ground meat and spices.
• Mix with hands until everything is well blended.
• Pat the meat mixture down in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan and broil in oven until top is browned, this will enhance the flavor, then take out of the oven.
• Peel potatoes.
• Slice tomatoes and potatoes into quarter of an inch in size and layer-- potatoes first and then tomatoes will be top layer.
• Sprinkle with a little salt-- and bake in oven about 425°F covered with foil for approximately 45 minutes to and hour-- enjoy.

KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• Mash the garlic into a paste with the salt using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife on your cutting board. Mix the garlic into the lamb along with the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Form the mixture into 28 balls. Form each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

MALAI KOFTA

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash potatoes; cool to room temperature., Preheat air fryer to 375°. In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, paneer, cardamom and salt until combined. Spoon 2 tablespoons of potato mixture in lightly greased hands and flatten to 1/8-in. thick. Press a raisin and cashew in the center; bring sides up to enclose. Gently roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Spritz fryer basket with cooking spray. Working in batches if needed, place balls in a single layer in basket lined with parchment. Cook until golden brown, 10-15 minutes., Meanwhile, for the gravy, in a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker, combine tomatoes, yogurt, water, cashews, ginger garlic paste and 1 teaspoon red chili powder. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 6 minutes. Quick-release pressure. Puree mixture using an immersion blender until smooth. Strain mixture, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Wipe insert clean., Select saute setting and adjust for medium heat; add ghee. When ghee is hot, add garam masala and remaining 1 teaspoon red chili powder; cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in strained tomato mixture and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, until mixture is slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes. Add fenugreek and, if desired, cream; cook 1 minute. Pour mixture over kofta.