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The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
285 | Calories |
14g | Fat |
3g | Carbs |
34g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 to 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 285 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 14g | 18% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 28% |
Cholesterol 136mg | 45% |
Sodium 1101mg | 48% |
Total Carbohydrate 3g | 1% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Protein 34g | |
Calcium 70mg | 5% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Making kofta is an ancient way of grilling ground meat. Aromatic and savory spices are added to the meat and it is shaped around a skewer for grilling. It is a lot like a sausage, but without the casing.
The secret to successful koftas is to make sure the meat is sticky enough to hold together on the skewers. To cook these, you will simply need a hot grill, which could be an open hibachi or a charcoal or gas grill. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about an hour before grilling. This will keep the exposed ends from burning when you grill the kofta kebabs.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds/700 grams ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Oil for grilling
- For Serving: pita, yogurt, red onion, lemon or lime wedges, additional cilantro/parsley
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Pre-heat grill to medium high heat.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck -
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Shape the meat into long, thick sausages. Make them all evenly sized, and keep in mind the length of the skewer. Thread a skewer through each kofta.
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Brush a small amount of oil on the skewered koftas to prevent sticking to the grill.
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Place the koftas on the hot grill and cook for about 12 to 14 minutes, turning occasionally after five to six minutes once the meat has firmed up.
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Once the internal temperature of koftas reaches 165 F, remove from grill and serve.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Tips
- You can serve the kofta on the skewers or take them off the skewers and arrange sections of the kofta on a plate.
- Serve the beef koftas alongside four to five warmed pitas, 1 cup of plain yogurt, red onion sliced into rings, and two limes quartered. You and your guests can make pita sandwiches with these elements for an informal meal.
- Other side dishes you may see include chickpea salad, tabbouleh, spiced carrots, or couscous. Vegetable side dishes are often cooked rather than fresh, such as zaalouk, which is eggplant and tomatoes with spices.
Recipe Variation
- The spice blend used here relies on those you are likely to have on your spice rack. Moroccan cooks often use a pinch of this and a pinch of that rather than measuring. If you lack one of the spices, don't stress too much. Wing it with the rest of them, or toss in a bit of ground ginger or allspice. As well, there is nothing wrong with omitting a spice you don't particularly like. Cilantro is used, which some people love and others don't -- you can substitute parsley instead.