Moroccan Spiced Turkey Kofta

It’s probably a little too early to think about barbecuing, but the sun is shining today and this recipe always excites me about the summer. I normally make these turkey koftas on a griddle pan in the kitchen, but these spicy koftas  are also delicious grilled on a barbecue.  The mince is spiked with Moroccan spices and left in the fridge for a while so that all the flavors mingle and infuse. If you don’t like turkey, this recipe would also work really well with lamb or beef mince, or should I say ground beef! The first time I walked into a butcher in Seattle and asked for mince, he looked really confused. So, to clarify things, I pointed at a steak and said I would like it minced. He seemed even more confused by this and said ‘You want me to rinse the meat?’ at which point I saw a little sign which said the magic words that I was looking for ‘ground beef’. Having discovered this, I no longer have to worry about my meat being rinsed!

Ingredients

• 250 g of turkey mince/ ground turkey!
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of coriander
• ¼ tsp of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of freshly chopped parsley
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons of oil – to grill

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the turkey mince with all the remaining ingredients.
2. Mash the ingredients into the turkey using a fork or a pair of clean hands.
3. Cover the bowl of mince with cling wrap and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Meanwhile soak some wooden skewers in some cold water for about twenty minutes. This is to stop them from burning on the grill.
5. Remove the turkey mince from the fridge and form it into small meatballs with your hand.
6. Place each meat ball onto a skewer, and then roll it gently on a flat surface so you end up with a cylindrical sausage shape.
7. Once you have used all the mince, brush the meat koftas with olive oil, ensuring all sides are covered with oil. 
8. Head a griddle pan over a high heat.
9. As soon as the griddle pan is very hot place the turkey koftas on the pan.
10. Turn the koftas every few minutes so they are evenly cooked. To check if they are cooked, test the largest one by cutting it open and ensuring it is fully cooked inside.
11. Serve the turkey koftas with couscous, roast peppers and some mint and yogurt dressing.