Tuna Kofta Recipes

TUNA KOFTE WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES-MINT GLAZE WITH CRUSHED SPICY HUMMUS

Steps:

• Special equipment: 12 wooden skewers soaked in water for 1 hour
• For the glaze: Whisk together the pomegranate molasses, honey, lemon juice, mustard and mint and season with salt and pepper. Let the glaze sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• For the kofte: Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small saute pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, cumin, allspice and cayenne, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Cut the tuna into large chunks and add it to a food processor along with the cooled spice mixture, the 1/4 cup chopped parsley and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Process until fairly smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat a charcoal grill to high heat using the direct heat method.
• Divide the tuna mixture into 12 equal portions and roll into footballs. Brush the koftes with some of the remaining oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on all sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Reserve some of the glaze for serving, and then brush the koftes with some of the remaining glaze each time you turn.
• Transfer the skewers to a platter and mound some of the Spicy Hummus next to them. Drizzle the kebabs with more glaze and scatter the parsley leaves over the top.
• Put two-thirds of the chickpeas in a food processor along with the tahini, sesame oil, honey, garlic, chile, lemon juice, hot sauce if using and season with salt and pepper. Puree until almost smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in enough olive oil to make a smooth but thick puree. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Put the remaining chickpeas in a bowl and mash coarsely with a potato masher. Spoon the mashed chickpeas on top of the puree. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter parsley leaves over the top.

FISH KOFTAS IN TOMATO AND CARDAMOM SAUCE

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.

TUNA KOFTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add cumin and cook another minute, stirring well.
• Place drained chick peas, egg and onion mixture into a food processor and process until chopped and well-combined. Place in a bowl and stir in the drained tuna, parsley and lemon zest.
• Using a 1/4 cup of mixture and wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 small oval sausages. Roll each sausage in fresh breadcrumbs and place on an oven tray. Lightly coat each kofta with spray oil.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes, turning half way. Thread onto wooden skewers and serve with combined yoghurt and mint or with my Apple Mint Yoghurt Salsa Recipe #320813.
• TIP: Shape mixture into 16 smaller shapes - perhaps balls - and serve as an entrée or finger food, with Apple Mint Yoghurt Salsa Recipe #320813 in a separate bowl, for dipping.