**Kofta Rice in Tomato Sauce: A Flavorful Middle Eastern Delight**
Discover the tantalizing flavors of the Middle East with this collection of kofta rice in tomato sauce recipes. Embark on a culinary journey as we explore variations of this classic dish, each bursting with unique spices and aromatic herbs. From the succulent meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce to the fluffy rice infused with fragrant spices, these recipes promise a satisfying and unforgettable dining experience. Prepare to indulge in a symphony of flavors that will transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of the Middle East.
SLOW-COOKER KOFTE IN TOMATO-LIME BROTH
While you're at the beach, at work or doing anything at all, these bright, light, brothy meatballs can be stewing in the slow cooker. They are made in the style of kofte (from the Persian word meaning "grind"), in which ground meat is combined with lots of herbs and ground spices. Yogurt adds moisture and tang, but you don't need another binder or to brown the meat first. As the meatballs slowly cook, their juices mingle with the tomatoes to create a rich but tart broth. Eat with grains (bulgur wheat, farro, rice), couscous, noodles or pita. For a stovetop version, see the Tip.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, meatballs, main course
Time 4h10m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the rind off the lime in wide strips. Add the rind to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, along with the garlic and ¼ cup water. (Reserve the lime.)
- In a large bowl, stir together the herbs, yogurt, turmeric, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the meat and use your hands to combine. Form the meat into 8 balls (roughly 4½ ounces each) and add to the slow cooker in a single layer. If they don't fit in one layer, add a few tomatoes to buffer the meatballs from one another, then add another layer of meatballs. Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then cover and cook on low until the meatballs are cooked through, 3 to 4 hours.
- Transfer the meatballs to plates, then remove and discard the garlic and lime peel. Burst most of the tomatoes by smashing them on the side of the slow cooker with a spoon. Squeeze the reserved lime into the slow cooker, then season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. (The sugar helps compensate for too-tart tomatoes.) Spoon the tomatoes and broth on top of the meatballs, along with more fresh herbs.
FISH KOFTAS IN TOMATO AND CARDAMOM SAUCE
On first inspection, this dish looks like herb-flecked meatballs in tomato sauce, but the sauce is spiced, tangy and aromatic, and the meatballs are, well, fish balls, made of a combination of mackerel and sardines. We use tinned sardines here, for ease, but you can obviously substitute with fresh sardines, scaled and boned. You'll also want to pay attention to the total weight or volume of the mackerel: Some types are larger than others. All work here, but you may not need to buy as many fillets. Serve with some couscous or rice and a spoonful of yogurt, if you like.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories dinner, meatballs, seafood, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Start with the sauce: In a large sauté pan (choose one that has a lid), heat olive oil, garlic, half the sliced chile pepper and a good pinch of salt over medium-low heat. Gently fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and golden. Remove 2 tablespoons of the oil (with some of the chile and garlic) and set aside.
- Add celery, shallot and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the same pan and continue to cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, lime zest and juice and the cardamom and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 1/2 cups/350 milliliters water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, turning the heat down if the sauce bubbles too much, and stirring once in a while.
- While the sauce is simmering, make the fish koftas: Add fish, pistachios, herbs, lime zest, chile and egg to a bowl with 3 tablespoons potato flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt and mix together well. Grease your hands with a little oil and roll the mix into approximately 12 golf-sized balls (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces/45 to 50 grams each), applying pressure to compact them as you go. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour so they are coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes, turning throughout until all sides are golden-brown and crisp. (Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside if it finishes before you finish the koftas.)
- After the sauce has been cooking for 20 minutes, transfer the balls into the sauce, drizzling over some of the frying oil (or return the sauce to medium heat). Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 4 minutes, until hot.
- Remove the lid and scatter the herbs and the remaining fresh chile over the top, then drizzle with the reserved garlic and chile oil. Serve hot, with lime juice added to taste, or with lime wedges alongside.
BAKED KOFTA BALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE
This recipe comes out of the Hare Krishna cookbook, The Higher Taste. I took a short cut and used organic tomato sauce from a jar instead of making my own. Of course home made is best. I also baked the Kofta balls instead of frying them in butter. I am only including the recipe for the Kofta Balls. I have changed some of the ingredients to suit my tastes. I didn't add any binder to this as the mixture was moist enough without it. Traditionally these Kofta balls are put over spaghetti, but I put them over Quinoa for something a little different.
Provided by Chef Joey Z.
Categories Grains
Time 45m
Yield 24 balls, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 400'F.
- Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch oven proof dish or pan with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil so all of it is well covered. If you want to use more then do, these balls will stick to the bottom.
- Grate the cauliflower and cabbage. I used my food processor and it saved a lot of time.
- Put all the other ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl and add the grated cauliflower and cabbage. Mix until well combined.
- Let the mixture sit for about 20-30 minutes so the moisture from the veggies is absorbed by the flour, this will ensure that the mixture will stick together and you can roll it into balls.
- Roll into 1 inch balls. I found squeezing them back and forth in my hands worked well.
- Place the Kofta balls in the oiled casserole dish.
- Drizzle a little more olive oil over each Kofta ball.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The Kofta should be a nice golden colour when you remove them.
- Let them cool for a few minutes. If they stick gently slide a spatula under each ball to remove.
- Put the Kofta balls in another dish.
- Spread 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Place the Kofta balls on the sauce.
- Pour the rest of the sauce on top. I added a little water to the jar to get the rest of the sauce out. Let them sit for about one hour. The Kofta balls will absorb the sauce very well.
- You can reheat the Kofta balls in the microwave or in the oven.
- Bon Apetit!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 175.7, Fat 8.4, SaturatedFat 1.6, Cholesterol 2.7, Sodium 963.1, Carbohydrate 22.3, Fiber 5, Sugar 13.5, Protein 3.5
MOROCCAN KOFTE WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
Bring out a big dish to share next time you have friends over - you can make the sauce and kofte ahead to keep it stress-free
Provided by Mary Cadogan
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Soak eight wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes, to stop them burning.
- Using your hands, mix the meat in a bowl with the onion, coriander, mint and plenty of seasoning. Shape into 8 sausages, about 10cm long, then thread a bamboo skewer through the centre of each.
- To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and briefly fry. Add tomatoes, harissa, sugar and seasoning. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until sauce has thickened.
- Grill the kofte for 6-8 mins, turning until they are nicely browned (be careful not to burn the skewers). Spoon the sauce over a warm platter, drizzle over the yogurt and put the kofte on top. Scatter with pine nuts and serve with pittas or couscous (recipe, below).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 316 calories, Fat 20 grams fat, SaturatedFat 9 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 8 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 27 grams protein, Sodium 0.5 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- To make the koftas more flavorful, use a combination of ground beef, lamb, and pork. You can also add some chopped herbs, spices, or grated vegetables to the meat mixture.
- If you don't have a meat grinder, you can use a food processor to grind the meat.
- To make the tomato sauce, use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes. This will give the sauce a richer flavor.
- You can add other vegetables to the tomato sauce, such as onions, garlic, celery, carrots, or bell peppers.
- Simmer the tomato sauce for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Serve the koftas and rice with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.
Conclusion:
Kofta rice in tomato sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The koftas are juicy and flavorful, and the tomato sauce is rich and tangy. Serve this dish with a side of rice or salad, and you'll have a complete and satisfying meal.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love