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Lamb Koftas Recipe
These tasty lamb koftas are a homemade version of the kebab shop classic. Enjoy this quick and lamb kofta recipe at any time seasoned with basic spices from your kitchen cupboard.
Servings: 8 Koftas
Ingredients
- 500 g lamb mince - 15–20% fat
- 1 small onion - finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs - chopped
- 1 lemon - zest only
- 2 tsp cumin - ground
- 2 tsp coriander seed - ground
- 1 tsp garlic powder / granules
- 1 tsp chilli flake
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup breadcrumbs - optional to make the mix go further
Instructions
- Finely chop the onions and roughly chop the herbs. Then put all ingredients together in a bowl, zesting the lemon over the mixture.500 g lamb mince, 1 small onion, 2 tbsp fresh herbs, 1 lemon, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp coriander seed, 1 tsp garlic powder / granules, 1 tsp chilli flake, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt & pepper to taste
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. It is easiest to use your hands for this and give everything a really good squish.
- Shape the meat paste into 8 evenly sized balls. It can help to have damp hands to stop the mince sticking to them,
- Roll the balls into sausage shapes and thread onto skewers, give it a good squeeze so it is tightly packed around the skewer. You can use metal or bamboo skewers, but the bamboo ones need to be soaked in water for 30 minutes first.
To Pan Fry
- Put a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the koftas to the pan and fry over a medium heat, turning occasionally.You can avoid splatters of hot fat by using a splatter guard for the pan.
- The koftas are ready when they are cooked through, this takes about 8 minutes, and browned on the outside. Serve immediately.
To Grill / Broil
- Light the grill/broiler and leave it for 5 minutes to heat.
- Place the kebabs on a lined baking tray and grill for about 6 minutes each side. Keep a close eye on them if your grill has any hot spots, and move downwards if needed.
To BBQ
- Light a charcoal or gas barbecue half an hour before you want to cook. Once hot, or when the charcoal is white, cook for 6–8 minutes each side. Oil the grill to stop sticking,
Notes
8 koftas will serve 4 people with sides.
Lamb – You want a high fat minced lamb – 15–20 % as all the flavour is in the fat. Packet sizes in the UK seem to be either 450 g or 500 g. It really does not matter which you use, as quantities are not critical here.
Make ahead – If the lamb has not previously been frozen, you can freeze the spiced mince mixture. You can also make up the skewers, cover them and keep them in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before you cook.
Spices – The spice mix is flexible. See notes in the blog post on how to adapt. I find lamb needs a lot of seasoning, so be generous with the pepper and salt.
Leftovers – Allow to cool, store in an airtight box in the fridge and then fry in a little oil until piping hot throughout.
If you prefer, you can shape the mixture into meatballs and fry without the skewers.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg