Spiced lamb koftas are a great budget option for a simple family meal. Serve with a drizzle of the creamy yogurt dressing, and baked chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 500g lamb mince
- 1 ½ tbsp ras el hanout
- 2 tbsp pine nuts , toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 x 400g cans chickpeas , drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 80g Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 lemon , 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges to serve
- 25g parsley , roughly chopped, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Using a pestle and morter, crush the fennel seeds. In a large bowl, combine the crushed seeds, lamb, ras el hanout and pine nuts, and season well. Divide the mixture into eight equal egg-shaped koftas.
- STEP 2
Tip the chickpeas into an ovenproof dish, season to taste and put in the oven while you fry the koftas. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the koftas and gently fry for 5 mins, turning from time to time, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- STEP 3
Remove the chickpeas from the oven, add the koftas to the dish, then pour over the rest of the oil and the honey, and return to the oven for 15 mins.
- STEP 4
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice with 70-100ml water and season well. Serve the koftas and chickpeas topped with parsley and a good drizzle of the creamy dressing, with the lemon wedges on the side.
