Recipe for Delicious Lamb Köfte

Lamb köfte is one of those dishes that always makes us happy. We regularly make the recipe for lamb köfte with mint by our culinary heroine Sabrina Ghayour, but the version with yoghurt sauce is also delicious. Especially with a South African Pinotage.

South African grape Pinotage

The South African grape Pinotage has undergone tremendous development during its short life. In the past— the first Pinotage was made in 1941—something occasionally went wrong during production, and the wine of the same name could smell like paint or car tyres. But those days are long gone. Nowadays, winemakers know how to coax beautiful, full-bodied red wines from the vineyards with great love and dedication. Wines that let you enjoy ripe summer fruit, and even detect a hint of toasted marshmallows in the distance.

Pinotage at the table

And it’s delicious with food: Pinotage goes with all kinds of dishes. Some suggestions: lamb chops, hachee, meatballs in tomato sauce, Mexican bean casserole, cheddar, mature or aged Gouda; it all goes. And of course, Pinotage is also delicious with a braai, the typical South African barbecue. We’re making lamb köfte with yoghurt sauce.

Minced

Köfte comes from the Persian word for minced, incidentally, and therefore does not always have to consist of meat. You can also mince beetroot or fish, but we like it best with minced lamb. Slightly spicy, with a fresh yoghurt sauce to cool things down. Delicious with flatbread, a fresh salad in summer or fried aubergine when it’s cold outside. Ideally, the köftes go on the barbecue (or braai!), but you can also fry them in a pan.

How to make lamb köfte with yoghurt sauce

• Mix the minced lamb with the onion, 3 cloves of garlic, the herbs (set aside a small handful of each), cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes, and pepper and salt to taste.
• Take a little of the minced meat and shape it into a cigar. Repeat with the remaining meat. Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour and no more than 12 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the yoghurt sauce by mixing the yoghurt, reserved herbs, garlic and lime juice. Season with pepper.
• Heat a barbecue, grill pan or frying pan and cook the köftes for approximately 6 minutes, browning them on all sides and ensuring they are cooked through. Serve with the yoghurt sauce.

Tip

For the best fat content, it’s best to use minced shoulder meat; for this, you’ll need to give your butcher a pleading look or mince the meat yourself. Otherwise, standard minced lamb works perfectly well too.

Wine

L’Avenir Horizon Pinotage, 2021. This is what you call a delicious wine for any occasion. Subtle and soft, with heaps of juicy, ripe summer fruit such as raspberries and cherries, and beautifully balanced. A smooth red wine with South African flair that has just enough punch to hold its own alongside the köfte. Baie lekker!

Also read:

• Recipe: Aromatically spiced polow with minced beef
• Recipe: Warm rolls with feta, za’atar, tomato and olives
• Recipe: Börek with chorizo