Description
Delicious spiced lamb koftas served with honey-glazed chickpeas, creamy tahini yogurt dressing, and fresh lemon wedges. This Middle Eastern-inspired dish combines aromatic fennel seeds, ras el hanout, and toasted pine nuts for a flavorful and satisfying meal perfect for oven roasting and stovetop frying.
Ingredients
Scale
Koftas
- 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 500g lamb mince
- 1 ½ tbsp ras el hanout
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Chickpeas & Glaze
- 2 x 40g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 2 tbsp honey
Yogurt Dressing
- 80g Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 lemon, ½ juiced, ½ cut into wedges to serve
- 70–100ml water
To Serve
- 25g parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Seasonings: Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the fennel seeds until aromatic.
- Mix Kofta Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the crushed fennel seeds, lamb mince, ras el hanout, and toasted pine nuts. Season the mixture well with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into eight equal egg-shaped portions and shape them into koftas.
- Roast Chickpeas: Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas in an ovenproof dish, season them to taste, and put the dish in the oven to roast while you cook the koftas.
- Sear the Koftas: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the koftas and gently fry them for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are evenly browned on all sides. Remove the koftas with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Combine Koftas and Chickpeas: Take the roasted chickpeas out of the oven, add the koftas to the same ovenproof dish, then drizzle over the remaining olive oil and honey. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, allowing the honey to glaze the chickpeas and koftas.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, tahini, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Thin the dressing with 70-100ml of water to your desired consistency and season well with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Plate the koftas and honey-glazed chickpeas, drizzle generously with the tahini yogurt dressing, sprinkle over the chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side for an extra burst of freshness.
Notes
- Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend; if unavailable, substitute with a mix of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika.
- Toasting pine nuts brings out their nutty flavor—be careful not to burn them.
- Adjust the water quantity in the yogurt dressing based on desired creaminess.
- For a leaner version, substitute lamb mince with ground turkey or chicken.
- This recipe serves well with warm flatbreads or a fresh salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: spiced koftas, lamb koftas, honey chickpeas, Middle Eastern recipe, tahini yogurt dressing, oven roasted chickpeas, ras el hanout kofta
