Mini Turkey Koftes

These tasty Turkey Koftes are super easy to make and can be cooked under the grill or over a barbecue in less than 15 minutes, with five minutes to prepare. 

I'm following Slimming World at the moment, and this meal was completely syn free. So to go alongside the Mini Turkey Koftes, I made up a big Greek Salad and cut the feta into 45g wedges (Healthy Extra A choice), instead of olive oil which I would normally drizzle all over the salad, I sprayed with Fry Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray, and had a toasted wholemeal pitta bread (Healthy Extra B choice). I made syn free Tzatziki and syn free Spicy Tomato Salsa too, which I've included the instructions to below and which we've been having tons to add flavour to any barbecued meat

Syn Free Tzatziki

Combine 3 tbsp fat free natural yoghurt, 3-4cm long chunk of cucumber grated into the yoghurt, 1 garlic clove either grated into the yoghurt, or minced in, a pinch of salt and some roughly chopped fresh mint leaves or 1/2 tsp dried mint; mix it all together and that is it.

Syn Free Spicy Tomato Salsa 

You need fresh, ripe tomatoes, a red onion, a couple of green chillies, salt, pepper, garlic, coriander and the juice of a lime. You can either pop all of that into a mortar and grind with a pestle (if doing so I advise coarse sea salt as the abrasive texture helps to break down everything else, or throw it all into a food processor or Nutribullet and blitz if you prefer. This lasts for a week in the fridge if sealed. 

Mini Turkey Koftes

The below serves four. 

Here's how:

• 500g lean turkey thigh mince
• 1 red onion
• 2 green chillies
• Handful fresh coriander
• Handful fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp dried cumin
• 1 tbsp sumac
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp garlic granules
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1-2 drops of ice cold water
• Pinch salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon or lime

Put the turkey mince into a large bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper.

Now peel and finely dice the red onion, mince the garlic cloves and slice the green chillies and add to the bowl with the mince.

Roughly chop the parsley and coriander and add to the bowl too. 

Now add the spices; cumin, sumac, cayenne pepper, garlic granules and cinnamon.

Finally add to the bowl the tomato puree (or you could use harissa paste) and the drop of cold water. Now use your hands to mix together. You want to work the meat a little bit; like you would with a dough for a few minutes, which will help to tenderize the meat and help to bring it together. 

Break into 8-10 small patties, and then work each one into a little sausage shape. Place under the grill or onto the barbecue and allow to cook for 7 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further seven minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the outside has a little char. 

Add to a platter or plate with the pitta bread and dips, and before serving just squeeze over some juice from the lemon or lime. Enjoy!

Here are a few other Slimming World friendly recipes I've shared recently since starting the programme a few weeks back.

Chilli Crab Noodles
Slow Cooker Chinese Pork with Noodles 
Simple Fish Stew
Adana Kebabs

Beef Kofta Kebabs

As we’re now in the midst of barbecue season, it seemed a perfect time to cook and share one of our favourite charcoaled meat dishes - beef koftas.

I cook these year round (under the grill outside of summer), but there is something extra special about the taste when barbecued and served with pitta, salad and tzatziki or any other array of lovely summer dishes.

You can play around with the herbs and spices depending on what you like, but these are good. I use 15% steak mince, as whilst I’m attempting to shave off some calories here and there, they need a little fat in them to keep them moist and prevent them drying out.

The below makes around six koftas.

Beef Kofta Kebabs

Here’s how: 

• 500g 15% fat steak mince
• 2 large spring onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• Pinch salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• Handful each of fresh mint, parsley and coriander
• 1 beaten egg to bind

Firstly get a large bowl and throw the meat in. Season generously.

Now peel and mince the garlic and finely chop the spring onions and add to the meat bowl.

Measure out the spices and add to the bowl.

Roughly chop the herbs up and throw into the bowl and then crack the egg into a separate bowl and whisk it.

Now throw the egg into the bowl and use your hands to smoosh everything together.

Once you’re happy with the consistency, break into six roughly equal sized pieces and roll into a sausage shape.

Really use your hands to bring together and roll against the chopping board to help it get into this shape.

Once the koftas are ready, use a skewer for each and pierce all the way through. You’ll now need to use your hands to press the koftas around the skewers a little and this can help lengthen the koftas too. You ideally want an equal thickness all the way along, so they cool evenly. Don’t be too gentle, you want them to be tightly packed around the skewer so they don’t fall apart during cooking.

Beef Kofta Kebabs

Now wash your hands, and find a plate or board and spray with some Fry Light or an alternative and then place each kofta on this. Cover with cling film and place into the fridge until cooking time.

Allowing them some time in the fridge also helps prevent them from falling apart when cooking.

When you’re ready to cook them, give them a quick spray with Fry Light, to stop them sticking to the grill, then place them onto the main part of the barbecue grill and allow to cook for 4 minutes on each side, turning carefully with tongs as you go.

They take about 10-12 minutes in total cooking on coal, but if you are unsure, just cut into the thickest part of one of them to ensure it’s cooked through.

If you like it really charred, then cook for longer. Enjoy!