Lamb and aubergine kofta
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Roast aubergine makes these koftas rich and moist, serve with yoghurt, salsa and rice for an outstanding meal.
Ingredients
- 3 aubergines (750g), cut in half lengthways
- 90ml olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 400g lamb mince (20% fat)
- ½ onion, peeled and coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground allspice
- ¾ tsp aleppo chilli
- 2½ tbsp mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
- 4 tbsp flat-leaf picked parsley, roughly chopped
- ¾ tbsp lemon juice
- 120g Greek-style yoghurt
Method
Heat the oven to very high – 250C (230C fan). Cut deep crosshatches into each aubergine half, then season with three tablespoons of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Place the aubergine halves cut side up on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper, and roast for 40 minutes, until soft and very well browned.
Once the aubergines are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a bowl and discard the skins, stalks and any liquid. Transfer the aubergine flesh to a board, roughly chop, then put 160g of the chopped aubergine (you’ll use the rest in the salsa) into a large bowl with the lamb, onion, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, half a teaspoon of the chilli, the mint, two‑thirds of the parsley, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and mix well. Form into 12 torpedo-shaped koftas, each weighing about 50g.
Put two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Fry the koftas in two batches, turning often, until browned all over – about four minutes. Transfer to an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for six minutes, or until cooked through.
Aubergine Salsa
- While the koftas are in the oven, mix the reserved aubergine with the lemon juice, the last tablespoon of oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Divide the yoghurt between four plates, top first with the aubergine salsa then the kofta, and sprinkle with the last quarter-teaspoon of chilli and a few mint leaves.
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