Tandoori masala koftas placed on fresh arugula, crispy cabbage, pepper and a coconut flatbread as a base is a wonderful and easy lunch or dinner treat. Flavoured with creamy cottage cheese or natural yoghurt, this dish turns into a perfect delight.
To begin, let me explain what kofta is. Kofta is another name for meatball, mostly used in India, Middle East, Balkan and Central Asia. As already the name says, these koftas are flavoured with Tandoori masala, in which you can find a mixture of flavours. For example, everything from garam masala, ginger, garlic to cayenne pepper. For a bigger spicy kick, I added chili flakes as well.
Moreover, if you are a meatball or kofta lover, you might check out these easy and delicious recipes: carrot soup with spicy meatballs, a classic Swedish köttbullar, stunning meatballs with cranberries or beef-date meatballs.
Koftas are almost always combined with vegetables. And, you can pick any vegetables you like. I love to combine textures and different flavours. Therefore, I picked arugula, with a slightly tangy note, crispy cabbage and juicy pointed pepper. They make a wonderful combination.
In addition, to enhance the flavour, mix the shredded cabbage and pointed pepper with a couple of spoons of vinegar and two pinches of salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. As a result, you’ll get delicious, softer yet still crunchy veggies.
Homemade coconut flatbread
Flatbread or tortillas pair great with koftas and salads. Of course, you can buy them already made at every supermarket. However, I prefer making them myself. It’s really quick and simple. All you need is a couple of basic ingredients, flour and water for instance. More, by making them yourself, you can play with different flavours, just like I did. In fact, I used shredded coconut flakes. Yummy.
Shredded coconut gives a lovely coconut note to the flatbread. Make sure to add them in the dough and on the outside when rolling out the dough. As a result, a nice toasted coconut crust will form on either side of the flatbread.
Having said that, coconut is not the only option. You can use, fennel seeds, cumin, sweet paprika or turmeric, too. Simply check what do you have in your kitchen. On the other hand, instead of a flatbread, you can make some delicious Naan bread, too.
Also, juicy koftas and salad on a flatbread call for a fresh sauce or dressing. I like the freshness of plain yoghurt or cottage cheese. Therefore, I picked the latter. I like cottage cheese because it’s creamy yet light and low in calories. However, yoghurt is a great idea as well.
This recipe serves 8-12 kofta, depending on how big you make them. I used a normal spoon as a measurement to help to make kofta, more or less, of the same size.
Ingredients for 2 portions of Tandoori masala koftas:
- 400 g minced meat
- 2-3 tsp sweet paprika
- 1-2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 tsp Tandoori masala powder
- salt
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 handfuls of arugula
- 100 g white or red cabbage (shredded)
- 1 small pointed red pepper (sliced in strips)
- 3 Tbsp of vinegar
- 100 g of cottage cheese or plain yoghurt
Ingredients for 2 coconut flatbreads:
- 120 g flour
- 2-3 Tbsp sourdough starter (optional)
- 60 ml water
- 2 Tbsp of olive oil
- 2 Tbsp shredded coconut flakes (plus some extra for dusting)
- salt
Start by combining the minced meat, 3 pinches of salt, sweet paprika, chili flakes and Tandoori masala in a bowl. Then, using your hands, scrunch the meat between your fingers. Keep doing that until everything is really well combined and the meat looks more like a paste. Put it aside.
Meanwhile, wash the arugula and let it drain, shred the cabbage and clean and slice the red pepper into strips. Then, place the cabbage and red pepper in a small bowl, add some vinegar and some salt. Toss everything and let it sit for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.
How to make coconut flatbread
Furthermore, prepare the coconut flatbread. In a bowl, combine flour, sourdough starter (optional), water, olive oil, salt and coconut flakes. Mix everything until it starts coming together. Then, flip the dough on your work surface and continue kneading it for 5 minutes or until well combined.
At this point, divide the dough in half and sprinkle some coconut flakes on your work surface. Take one piece and roll it out in an almost round shape. Halfway through, flip it over so that the coconut flakes stick on both sides.
Then, heat a non-sticking frying pan, without adding any oil or any grease. Once it gets hot, place the first flatbread in for 2-3 minutes or until slightly browned and then flip it over for 2 more minutes. Do the same with the second flatbread. When done, cover them with aluminium foil to keep warm.
Next, quickly wipe the pan with a paper towel and drizzle some olive oil in it. Then, form the Tandoori masala kofta, by simply rolling some of the meat (one Tbsp should do) between your palms and at the end slightly squeezing it to leave the dents on it. As you can see, they have a non-perfect shape.
Heat the oil and when it gets hot, place the kofta in and sizzle them for around 4 minutes on all sides or until golden brown. After they are done, shake the pan to cover them with the lovely juices that the meat has released. Yummy.
Finally, place one coconut flatbread on each plate (quickly warm them if they are cold), top it with arugula, cabbage and red pepper strips. Then, add the spicy Tandoori masala koftas, spoon some cottage cheese or yoghurt next to them and drizzle a bit of the flavourful juices left in the pan. Eating Tandoori masala kofta with your hands is a whole new experience.
Enjoy!
PS
If you like the recipe, if you make the recipe or if you have any new ideas how to improve or change it, let me know in the comments section below or alternatively share your photos and reactions with me on Instagram (@Passionspoon), Facebook or Twitter (@PassionSpoon1). Simply use the hashtag #passionspoonrecipes in your posts. I would love to see them! (wink)
