Wanna spice things up for dinner mid-week? How about a lightened-up version of a Middle Eastern Turkish kabob? Sounds intriguing doesn’t it?
There are hundreds of variations on this traditional dish. I chose to lighten it up by using ground turkey, but you can also use ground beef, lamb, chicken or whatever other meat tickles your fancy. Typically, these are prepared and served on skewers in the streets as snacks. It worked just fine as dinner for Shaun and I.
The ingredient list may look long but almost everything is mixed into the ground meat to add tons of flavor. The mix of spices such as mint, cumin and cinnamon may seem different to you but don’t knock it until you try it! They all work beautifully together and pair nicely with fresh tomato slices and tangy sour cream. I suppose if you wanted to get even healthier, you could wrap these in lettuce cups instead of pita bread. I liked them just the way they came out though!
Kofte (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup onion, diced finely
- 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices plum tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
- 4 (6-inch) pitas, split in half
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
- Preheat broiler. Combine first 12 ingredients in a large bowl; stir until just combined. Divide mixture into 9 equal portions; shape each portion into a (4-inch long) patty. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cook for 4-6 minutes on each side or until cooked through at a temperature of 170 degrees F. Place 2 tomato slices and 12 patties in each pita half; top each half with sour cream. Serves 4.
This version is quick and easy to prepare during the week when you get home from work. If you are looking for a more extensive recipe, here are a few I found:
Kofte Kabobs with Tzatziki
Turkey Kofte with Apple Raita and Spinach
Pomegranate-Glazed Freekeh Kofte
Lamb Kofte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara
Lamb Kofte with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Tutti Mangia!
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