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| Kofta shown here without the pita, for a low-carb option :) |
Don’t be embarrassed. I didn’t know what "kofta" was either. In fact, Word even outlines it in red. Apparently the broad definition is ground meat, usually lamb or beef, mixed with spices, herbs or onions. Alright so a fancy hamburger patty. Either way, I have made plenty a hamburger and I have never seen a recipe that incorporated such a gourmet array of flavours and spices – whatsoever. So, when I found this gold-nugget of a recipe in my Weber’s Way to Grill cookbook, I had to try it. On one of my many low-carb endeavours, which I hope I don’t talk about too much, I was able to have this without the pita and still found it absolutely mouthwatering. This is a keeper for those days when you want to please and you want to do it fast – this recipe is a snap.
Prep time: under 20
Total time: under 30 (including 10 minutes bbq time)
Makes: 6
Serve with salad or grilled veggies
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| Tahini (far left) is the "peanut butter" of sesame seeds |
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sesame tahini
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 tsp salt
Salad:
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 red onion, chopped fine
salt to taste
Kofta (the fancy patty):
1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef
1/2 parsley, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
3 whole wheat pitas
1. Combine dressing ingredients and place in refrigerator
2. Combine salad ingredients and set aside
3. Combine kofta ingredients and shape into 6 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick
4. Press a a shallow circle indentation in the middle of each patty (this trick helps to cook the patty evenly and won't puff in the center to make a football out of your patty!)
5. Grill patties over high heat until cooked to medium, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Prepare kofta with salad and dressing in a pita, or without one ;)
Serve and prepare to take your praise!
