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I actually made these carrot and red lentil koftas aaages ago (my Instagram picture serves as proof – I wonder whether Instagram has ever been used as evidence in court?), but I’ve only just got around to sharing them. Sorry if you were waiting for the recipe!
Koftas are usually balls of meat, but here I’ve made a lentil version (the whole ‘vegetarian’ thing, and all), and let me tell you, you won’t miss the meat! These little koftas are so hearty and filling, and the dense lentil mixture is just as satisfying as a meaty version could ever be.
Heaps of countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Southern Asia have their own version of the kofta, but since Indian food is so amazing for veggies, I decided to serve mine…
View Full Recipe at Amouse Your Bouche
,%20but%20I%E2%80%99ve%20only%20just%20got%20around%20to%20sharing%20them.%20Sorry%20if%20you%20were%20waiting%20for%20the%20recipe!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EKoftas%20are%20usually%20balls%20of%20meat,%20but%20here%20I%E2%80%99ve%20made%20a%20lentil%20version%20(the%20whole%20%E2%80%98vegetarian%E2%80%99%20thing,%20and%20all),%20and%20let%20me%20tell%20you,%20you%20won%E2%80%99t%20miss%20the%20meat!%20These%20little%20koftas%20are%20so%20hearty%20and%20filling,%20and%20the%20dense%20lentil%20mixture%20is%20just%20as%20satisfying%20as%20a%20meaty%20version%20could%20ever%20be.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeaps%20of%20countries%20in%20Eastern%20Europe,%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20Southern%20Asia%20have%20their%20own%20version%20of%20the%20kofta,%20but%20since%20Indian%20food%20is%20so%20amazing%20for%20veggies,%20I%20decided%20to%20serve%20mine%20Indian-style,%20with%20curry%20sauce.%20I%E2%80%99ll%20admit,%20I%20didn%E2%80%99t%20make%20my%20own%20curry%20sauce%20this%20time,%20I%20used%20one%20from%20Just%20Ingredients,%20who%20I%E2%80%99ve%20told%20you%20about%20before.%20But%20if%20you%E2%80%99d%20prefer%20to%20make%20your%20own,%20this%20dopiaza%20sauce%20was%20a%20total%20winner,%20and%20would%20go%20perfectly%20with%20these%20lentil%20koftas!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThese%20little%20lentil%20koftas%20are%20really%20easy%20to%20make.%20You%20half-cook%20the%20red%20lentils%20with%20the%20carrot,%20then%20give%20everything%20a%20good%20whizz%20in%20a%20food%20processor,%20and%20you%E2%80%99re%20done.%20The%20mixture%20looks%20a%20bit%20like%20a%20big%20ball%20of%20dough%E2%80%A6%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A6%20but%20once%20you%20dollop%20it%20into%20a%20pan%20with%20a%20bit%20of%20oil,%20and%20the%20koftas%20begin%20to%20crisp%20up,%20any%20reservations%20you%20may%20have%20will%20disappear.%20You%20don%E2%80%99t%20need%20to%20be%20too%20precious%20with%20your%20koftas%20%E2%80%93%20don%E2%80%99t%20worry%20about%20what%20shape%20they%20are,%20just%20spoon%20the%20mixture%20into%20the%20pan%20and%20see%20what%20happens.%20I%20quite%20like%20the%20fact%20that%20they%20all%20look%20a%20bit%20different!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20fact%20that%20the%20red%20lentils%20are%20only%20part-cooked%20means%20they%20keep%20their%20shape%20and%20have%20a%20great%20texture,%20rather%20than%20turning%20into%20mush%20like%20they%20do%20if%20you%20cook%20them%20for%20too%20long.%20These%20koftas%20are%20soft%20inside,%20and%20beautifully%20crispy%20on%20the%20edges.%20I%20also%20love%20the%20little%20fleks%20of%20red%20and%20green%20that%20the%20chilli%20and%20coriander%20give!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20you%20add%20these%20little%20lentil%20koftas%20to%20some%20curry%20sauce,%20they%20hold%20their%20shape%20%E2%80%93%20but%20personally%20I%20enjoyed%20breaking%20them%20down%20a%20bit,%20and%20letting%20them%20crumble%20into%20the%20sauce.%20So%20yummy.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20any%20of%20these%20little%20silver%20Indian-style%20dishes,%20by%20the%20way,%20you%20should%20get%20some!%20They%20make%20even%20a%20bog-standard%20curry%20feel%20special%20and%20authentic%20(not%20that%20this%20is%20a%20bog-standard%20curry!%20But%20you%20know%20what%20I%20mean).%20I%20think%20from%20now%20on%20my%20Friday%20night%20take%20away%20will%20be%20eaten%20this%20way,%20as%20opposed%20to%20being%20scoffed%20straight%20out%20of%20the%20tub%20on%20the%20sofa.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E(we%E2%80%99ll%20see%20how%20long%20that%20lasts)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECarrot%20and%20red%20lentil%20koftas%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Author:%20Becca%20@%20Amuse%20Your%20Bouche%20Recipe%20type:%20Main%20meal%20Yield:%20Serves%203-4%20%20%20Ingredients%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1%20medium%20carrot,%20finely%20diced%20or%20grated%20200g%20(~1%20cup)%20dried%20red%20lentils%201tsp%20garam%20masala%201%20small%20red%20chilli,%20finely%20chopped%202tbsp%20fresh%20coriander%20(cilantro),%20chopped%20Salt%20Black%20pepper%204tbsp%20oil%20for%20frying%20%20%20Instructions%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20the%20diced%20/%20grated%20carrot%20to%20a%20saucepan%20with%20the%20red%20lentils,%20and%20add%20plenty%20of%20water.%20Bring%20to%20a%20boil,%20and%20cook%20for%20about%205%20minutes,%20until%20the%20lentils%20are%20about%20half%20cooked%20(they%20should%20be%20soft%20enough%20to%20eat,%20but%20still%20with%20a%20bit%20of%20bite,%20and%20still%20holding%20their%20shape).%20Drain%20the%20carrot%20and%20lentil%20mixture,%20and%20transfer%20it%20to%20a%20food%20processor.%20Blitz%20until%20a%20paste%20is%20formed.%20Transfer%20the%20mixture%20to%20a%20large%20bowl,%20and%20add%20the%20remaining%20ingredients%20(except%20the%20oil).%20Mix%20well.%20Heat%20the%20oil%20in%20a%20large%20frying%20pan,%20and%20add%20dollops%20of%20the%20lentil%20mixture%20(don't%20worry%20about%20shape).%20Don't%20overcrowd%20the%20pan%20-%20you%20may%20need%20to%20do%20a%20couple%20of%20batches.%20Cook%20the%20koftas%20for%20a%20few%20minutes,%20until%20the%20underside%20is%20golden%20brown%20and%20crispy,%20then%20gently%20turn%20each%20kofta%20over,%20and%20repeat.%20Continue%20to%20turn%20until%20they%20are%20golden%20brown%20on%20all%20sides.%20Serve%20with%20curry%20sauce%20and%20more%20fresh%20coriander.%20%203.2.2925%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPrefer%20a%20slightly%20less%20classy%20curry%20for%20a%20Friday%20night?%20Try%20my%20homemade%20chip%20shop%20curry%20sauce%20%E2%80%93%20a%20British%20classic!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}