Today recipe is a “Vegan Lebanese BBQ kofta” yes you read it right a kofta and a vegan one! This recipe was a big game changer for our meatless days, so the whole family enjoy a rich healthy plant-based meal!
Ingredients
For the kafta:
500gLentilscooked and drained
1big Oniongrated (see notes)
½cupFresh parsley leaveswashed
¼cupFresh coriander leaveswashed
1tspof each Salt7 spices
½tspof each Freshly ground black peppersweet pepper, cinnamon, dry mint
¼tspFreshly ground nutmeg
1TbspMustard
2tbspof each Sweet paprikasumac
1big Oniongrated (see notes)
1cupwhole wheat flour
1tbspbaking soda
For the assembly:
Hummus:
1cupchickpeas cooked and drainedor a precooked can
3tbsplemon juice freshly squeezed
2tbsptahini
2clovesgarlic minced
1tspcumin powder
1/2tspsalt
1-2tbspwarm waterIF needed
Kafta salad:
2cupof parsley leaves washed and drain
2medium tomato cut into cubes
1big onion cut into wedges
½tspof each: saltsweet pepper
2tbspsumac
1tbsptomato paste
Additional:
Arabic pitta bread
2small charcoal pieces with small aluminum foil paper
Instructions
For the kafta:
Start with grating the freeze onion, drain it well and keep the juice aside we will use later.
Add the grated onion with all the remaining ingredients except the flour and baking soda in a food processor and process on high speed until you have a smooth mixture and all ingredients are mixed.
Transfer to a deep bowl and let it sit in the fridge between 30 minutes up to 2 hours
After you remove from the fridge , give it a mix if it still to sticky add the flour ¼ cup each time and mix with your hand , keep adding the flour until you have a wet dough but not too sticky that you can work with and form some balls that can hold together (I usually don’t need to add to much flour, depend on how much you drained the lentil and onion in your kafta mixture) work it well in your hand before proceeding into adding more flour .
Before you want to bake add the baking the soda and mix. (see notes) and mix.
Take 1/3 cup of the kafta mixture and form an oval shaped ball as long and thin as you can, keep doing that until you finish the mixture.
I baked them in my air fryer for 4 minutes on each side, you can also bake them in a preheated oven 180 ˚C for 15 minutes flipping mid time.
For the smoking process: after you bake all the kafta , lay them in a deep cooking pan, add a small piece of aluminum and put on it the two pieces of charcoal that you lighted on before, add a little bit of oi on the charcoal so they start making smoke and cover the pan so all the smoke is retained inside the pan , keep the pan covered for 15 minutes, than open, throw the charcoals make sure it is turn off completely , and set the kafta side. This step will give a deep smoked taste to the kafta it is really a game changer for this recipe I highly recommend you do it.
For the hummus:
Rinse chickpeas and blend in a food processor until powder-like.
Add lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, salt and cumin and blend until smooth.
While blending, slowly add boiling water until the texture becomes smooth and creamy.
For the kafta salad:
Cut the onion into wedges, mix the salt with sumac and pepper and rub the onion with the seasoning mixture until all the onions are covered.
In a mixing bowl, Mix the tomato with the tomato paste well, add the onions, the parsley and give it a mix. set aside.
For the assembly:
Divide the hummus between the pittas add the kafta salad than add the grilled kafta, roll them and enjoy!
Notes
when I prepare a recipe with grated onion, I put it in the freezer before 30 minutes minimum of using so it would make grating the onion easier.
Some people like to serve the kafta also with some tahini sauce instead of hummus: 2 Tbsp. tahini, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 clove garlic minced 1 tbsp, parsley and salt to taste you can make it thick or light for your liking by adding some water.
This recipe can be easily frozen for later , just after mixing everything and BEFORE adding the bicarbonate , store it in a zip lock bag and put it in the freezer whenever you want to use remove the night before and put it down in the fridge or on the kitchen counter top before few hours.
the most important thing is not to add the bicarbonate of soda in the mixture if you don't need to bake in the next 30 minutes maximum.