Beef Kofta with Toum Sauce Recipe
Savor the spiced flavors of juicy beef kofta paired with a garlicky, creamy toum sauce that elevates this Middle Eastern dish to a whole new level.
Equipment
- 4 skewers wooden or metal - if using wooden, make sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning
Ingredients
Beef Kofta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup white onion minced
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/4 cup parsley and mint finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp all spice
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Toum Sauce
- 1 cup garlic cloves peeled
- 3 cups neutral oil grape seed, sunflower, vegetable or canola
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 tsps Kosher salt
Cucumber & Tomato Salad
- 1 tomato ripe, medium in size & diced
- 1/2 cup cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup basil finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
To Serve
- naan bread
- lemon wedges
Instructions
Toum Sauce
- Slice the garlic cloves in half lengthwise and remove any green sprouts. Transfer the sliced garlic cloves into a food processor and add the kosher salt to the garlic cloves. Process for a minute until the garlic becomes finely minced. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor afterwards. While the food processor is running, slowly pour one to two tablespoons of oil, then stop and scrape down the bowl. Continue adding another tablespoon or two until the garlic starts looking creamy.Once the garlic looks emulsified by the few tablespoons of oil, increase the speed of pouring the oil and alternate with the ½ cup of lemon juice until all the oil and lemon juice is incorporated. This will take about 15 minutes to complete.Transfer the sauce into a glass container and cover with a paper towel in the fridge overnight. Makes about 4 cups. The next day, replace the paper towel with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Cucumber & Tomato Salad
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and refrigerate until the kofta is finished.
Kofta
- If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent burning. Combine all kofta ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with your hands until everything is mixed well. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 450F. Place a wire rack onto a baking sheet and brush it with olive oil. After the mixture has been in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, divide it into four even-sized portions. Form each portion into a snake-like shape around each skewer.
- Bake the kofta for 13-15 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and beginning to brown on top.
To Serve
- Serve kofta on a platter with naan, cucumber and tomato salad, toum and lemon wedges.
