Kofta with tahini is one of the nicest dishes I’ve made recently. I’m already planning on making it again. It is a one-pot wonder where everything is cooked together, yet retains its own flavour and structure. The result is perfectly cooked potato slices, spiced kofta and a creamy tahini crust that is full of citrus flavour. The combination works so well.
It’s a Palestinian dish that I first came across from my friend JJ, whose Instagram account is @chefjjskitchen. Based in Oman, he has been sharing his family’s Palestinian dishes and many other recipes from countries such as Lebanon and Jordan. The Palestinian diaspora all over the world have begun to cook and celebrate their culture more than ever. Cooking can be a form of resistance, a way to keep a culture and people alive. They are celebrating their country through za’atar, sumac and sage tea. To show support and solidarity, I am cooking lots of Palestinian recipes, as are others. It’s a great way to connect, share and spread knowledge.
Nisreen Shehada, @nisreendiary on Instagram, is a dentist from Gaza. She’s also a talented chef and content creator. She went from making blueberry pancakes and pumpkin spiced latte videos to creating traditional home baked bread with za’atar as she was displaced and there were no bakeries open.
She documented how difficult it was to make a basic version of the much celebrated dish Maqlooba. This is a rice dish that translates as upside down as it is flipped upside down on to a platter to serve. She launched a hashtag to help spread awareness #flipyourmaqlooba. She couldn’t source meat and had to cook it over an open fire. Maqlooba is sociable, family food that serves many and another great one-pot dish. There are many great cookbooks from this region, my favourites being Falastin by Sami Tamimi, The Gaza Kitchen by Laila El-haddad and the newly published Bethlehem by Fadi Kattan.
Recipe: Kofta with tahini
Lilly’s Kitchen Tips:
- Place the lemon juice and tahini in a saucepan and heat gently if it’s taking too much time to blend, use a whisk to ensure it’s smooth. This all depends on the brand of tahini.
- Shape the kofta with wet hands, it makes them much easier to shape if the mix is sticky
- Make your own baharat spice mix by combining ground coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and cardamom. There are plenty of great recipes available online or use your own favourite mix.
