Fish kofta with yoghurt, sumac and chilli

This is a recipe from the Palestine.

These fish kofta can be served as a starter or as a meal in their own right.  They can be served on diners’ plates or packed with chopped salad in pita bread.  They can also be served cold in which case the flavour will come though even more.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 15 Mins

Total Time: 1 Hr

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

6 tbs               Olive oil    

2                    Onions  - large, finely chopped 

6 cloves           Garlic  - crushed      

700 gms          Cod  - skinned, chopped into 3 cm bits    

1                    Chilli  - chopped finely

15 gms            Parsley  - chopped roughly      

15 gms            Dill  - chopped roughly

2 tsb               Lemon zest  - grated 

1                    Egg          

2 tsp               Fish spice mix          

2 tsp               Sumac      

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

1 tsp               Salt          

200 gms          Yoghurt     

To serve

1 tsp               Sumac      

                     Dill  - leaves

1                    Chilli  - sliced finely   

4 wedges         Lemon      

Method

Heat an oven to 220°C fan.

Put 3 tablespoons of oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium heat.  Once hot, add the onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened and golden.  Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside until completely cool.

Put the fish into a food processor and blend until finely chopped but not a complete paste.  Transfer to a large bowl and add the cooled onion mixture, chopped chilli, herbs, lemon zest, egg, fish spice mix, 2 teaspoons of sumac, salt and pepper.  Mix well to combine, then, using your hands, shape the mixture into about 15 kofta: they should each be about 5cm wide and weigh about 65g.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan and place on a medium heat.  Once hot, add the kofta in batches of two or three and fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through so that both sides are golden brown.  Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 5 minutes until just cooked through.  Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes or so, to slightly cool.

To serve, spread the yoghurt evenly between four plates and top each with 3 fish kofta - saving any extra for seconds.  Sprinkle the kofta with the remaining teaspoon of sumac, the dill leaves and sliced chilli.  Drizzle over the last tablespoon of oil and serve with a lemon wedge alongside.

Variations

The herbs can be replaced with other herbs or combination of herbs.  Coriander, parsley and mint are all

 good.

Wine recommendations

A robust white wine.

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône blanc

Interesting

     Côte Chalonnaise blanc

     Entre-deux-Mers

     Jurançon