Lamb Kofta with Homemade Tzatziki Recipe

This spicy lamb recipe (opens in new tab) is a great one to try for a weekend treat when combined with tasty tzatziki. It's a go to one to try again and again.

HOW TO MAKE LAMB KOFTA WITH HOMEMADE TZATZIKI

Ingredients

for the kofta

• 500g (1lb 2oz) lamb mince
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 ½tsp hot smoked paprika
• 1 ½tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp cinnamon
• small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• small bunch mint leaves, picked and roughly chopped
• 1tsp salt
• ½tsp ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2tbsp oil

for the tzatziki

• 1 cucumber, halved lengthways, de-seeded and grated
• 200ml (1/3pt, or 7fl oz) natural yoghurt
• small bunch mint leaves, picked and roughly chopped
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. In a large bowl mix all the kofta ingredients, apart from the oil, with your hands until well combined. Test that you are happy with the seasoning by frying off a small piece of the meat and tasting it once cooked through.
2. Shape the kofta into small, slightly flattened sausage shapes about half the size of your palm. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. In a large frying pan heat the oil and fry the kofta in batches for about 2 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes until cooked through.
4. Whilst the kofta are cooking, make the tzatziki. Mix 1tsp salt into the grated cucumber and leave in a sieve with a bowl underneath to collect the moisture. In a small bowl mix the remaining ingredients, apart from the extra virgin olive oil, then squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as possible so that your final sauce is not watery. Stir the cucumber through the tzaiziki, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and serve alongside the hot kofta with some torn flatbreads.