Ingredients
| 1 teaspoon coriander seeds | |
| 1 teaspoon cumin seeds | |
| 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 1 small red capsicum, stem and seeds removed | |
| 1 small bunch flat-leafed parsley, leaves and stalks separated | |
| TEMPEH KOFTA | |
| 250g tempeh, broken up | |
| 100g fresh breadcrumbs | |
| VENISON KOFTA | |
| 400g venison mince (or use beef or lamb mince) | |
| RADISH & MARINATED ONION TABBOULEH | |
| 1 red onion, finely sliced | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 1 teaspoon sumac | |
| 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil | |
| 100g bulgur wheat | |
| 6 radishes, roughly chopped | |
| ½ cup finely chopped mint | |
| 4 tablespoons lemon juice | |
| 2 tablespoons tahini | |
| 4 tablespoons plant-based or Greek yoghurt |
I love kofta-style kebabs on the barbecue, but they can be tricky to keep on the skewer. In the Middle East they are usually made on wide, flat metal skewers that hold the kofta firmly. If using small wooden skewers, I like to pre-sear the koftas in a frying pan then refrigerate them, making them a bit more robust on the grill. The tempeh mixture also makes excellent patties for burgers or tacos, or just with salad for a simple plant-based dinner.
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Instructions
| 1. | Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 1 minute until fragrant. |
| 2. | Put in a mortar and pestle with a little salt and grind to a powder. |
| 3. | Put into a food processor with the garlic, salt, capsicum and parsley stalks and blend until it’s almost a purée. |
| 4. | You will use half this mixture for the tempeh skewers and half for the venison skewers. |
| 5. | Scoop out half the mix into a bowl and set aside. |
| 6. | Add the tempeh and breadcrumbs to the food processor and blend again until coming together, scraping down the sides once or twice. |
| 7. | Shape the mixture onto 8-10 skewers and put on an oiled tray. |
| 8. | Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. |
| 9. | Add the minced venison to the bowl with the remaining capsicum mixture and season well with salt and pepper. |
| 10. | Mix and knead together with your hands until very well combined. |
| 11. | Shape the mixture onto 8-10 skewers, put on an oiled tray and refrigerate until needed. |
| 12. | If pre-searing the skewers, heat a little oil in a frying pan and sear the tempeh and venison skewers on both sides then refrigerate again until ready to serve. |
| 13. | For the tabbouleh, put the onion, salt and the sumac into a bowl and rub together with your hands for about 30 seconds, then mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside. |
| 14. | Place the bulgur wheat in a bowl and cover with boiling water. |
| 15. | Leave to soak for 10 minutes until tender but not too soft. |
| 16. | Drain well and press down hard on the wheat with the back of a spoon to squeeze out excess water. Place in a bowl. |
| 17. | Put the radishes in a food processor and process until they are cut into tiny pieces the same size as the bulgur wheat. |
| 18. | Add to the bowl with the bulghur wheat. |
| 19. | Roughly chop the parsley leaves and add along with the mint, marinated red onion, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the remaining 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. |
| 20. | Season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine. |
| 21. | In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice to loosen then whisk in the yoghurt and season with salt to taste. Set aside. |
| 22. | Heat a hibachi or other grill to very hot and cook the skewers for about 4 minutes or to your liking. |
| 23. | Serve with the radish & marinated onion tabbouleh and tahini-yoghurt sauce. |
Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith/ Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles