zk/food/kofte.md

%title Lamb kofte with cardamom rice
%template food
:food:recipe:meat:

## Ingredients

### Cardamom rice

|        |                        |
| -----: | ---------------------- |
| 2 cups | long grain rice        |
| 2      | cardamom pods, cracked |
| 1      | bay leaf               |
| pinch  | salt                   |
| 1tbsp  | ghee                   |

### Meatballs

|            |                       |
| ---------: | --------------------- |
| 1lb        | ground lamb           |
| 1          | small onion, minced   |
| 3 cloves   | garlic                |
| 1tbsp      | sesame seeds          |
| 1tsp       | mustard seeds         |
| 1tsp       | cumin                 |
| 2tsp       | za'atar               |
| 1/2tsp     | aleppo pepper         |
| 1/2tsp     | salt                  |

### Sauce

|        |                            |
| -----: | -------------------------- |
| 1 tube | tomato paste               |
| 1tbsp  | harissa paste              |
| 2      | fresh tomatoes, chopped    |
| 2tbsp  | olive oil                  |
| 2c     | chicken or vegetable broth |

## Preparation

1. Combine ingredients for rice in a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes
2. While the rice is cooking, toast the whole spices, grind them, and mix well with the other spices, onion, garlic, and lamb, forming into meatballs
3. Brown the meatballs in the olive oil, turning once before removing to the bowl again
4. Add the tube of tomato paste to the still hot oil and stir, making sure to get as much of the fond mixed in as possible
5. Once the tomato paste reaches a dark rust color, add the broth, tomatoes, and harissa; test for salt and bring it to a simmer
6. Add the meatballs in and simmer for a minute before turning them once and covering the pan to simmer for at least 10 minutes

Serve the kofte and sauce over the rice. Drizzle with [toum](toum) and serve with [tzatziki](tzatziki).