LAMB KOFTAS

I love cooking lamb mince on the grill. It’s quite high in fat so the koftas won’t dry out and they crisp up wonderfully on the surface. Lamb can take on as much flavour and heat as you want, so don’t be afraid to go big on the spicing. Lemon zest and mint sauce cut through the richness.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4

A splash of vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cracked black pepper

2 tsp salt

800g lamb belly, minced

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tsp ras el hanout

1 tsp ready-made mint sauce

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped coriander

To serve:

Lemon wedges

Coriander leaves

Spicy fennel and pomegranate slaw

METHOD

1: Heat the oil in a frying pan on the hob and fry the diced onion over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes until soft. Take off the heat and leave to cool. Meanwhile, using a pestle and mortar, grind the spices and salt together until you have a fine spice mix.

2: Put the lamb mince into a large bowl with the cooled onion, garlic, ground spice mix, ras el hanout, mint sauce, lemon zest and herbs. Mix well with your hands.

3: Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and roll each into a sausage-shaped kofta. Lay them on a lined tray and chill in the fridge for 1 hour, to firm up.

4: When you are ready to cook the koftas, take them from the fridge. Place on the edges of your hot barbecue to achieve a medium heat – as these koftas tend to release some fat, it’s best not to have them over a direct flame. Cook for around 8 minutes, turning regularly.

5: Once cooked, serve the lamb koftas on a platter with lemon wedges. Garnish with coriander and serve the fennel and pomegranate slaw alongside.

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