Koftas with pickled onions

These koftas from Tilly Ramsay are seriously delicious, give them a try and you'll be recreating them again and again! They're cheap to make, quick and can be made in advance, making them ideal for a crowd or for busy midweek meals. The lamb in this recipe can be substituted for beef mince, too!

Serves 4-6

Serves 4-6

Gluten-free

Gluten-free

Ingredients

For the pickled onions:

  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tsp sea salt

For the kofta:

  • 500g lamb or beef mince
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • ½ ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or any chilli flakes)
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • Olive oil, for frying

To serve:

  • Handful of radishes, sliced
  • ¼ cucumber, sliced
  • 2 lettuce leaves, sliced
  • 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • Flatbreads, pitta or wraps (gluten-free if needed), warmed or griddled (optional) 

Cooking instructions

  • Start with the pickled onions. Squeeze the lime juice over the red onion in a bowl, sprinkle over the salt and scrunch together with your hands – this will help the onions soften. Set aside to pickle until ready to serve.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the oil. Mixing well so the spices are fully incorporated through the lamb.
  • Portion the mince into equal sized pieces, rolling into rough balls or ovals.
  • Heat a griddle pan to a high heat. Fry the kofta for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through and the edges are starting to char.
  • To serve, I used radishes, cucumber and lettuce for a crunchy filling, plus yoghurt mixed with harissa for a creamy base. Layer up your toasted flatbread how you like!