Lamb Koftas with Jewelled Rice

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Impress with homemade zesty lamb koftas on a bed of vibrant jewelled rice, flavoured with pomegranate seeds, cumin, coriander, cardamom pods, saffron and pistachios.

I've adapted the original recipe I found on the Olive magazine website, to serve 4 instead of 6.

Lamb koftas are a popular dish across the Middle East, Mediterranean and parts of South Asia, where minced meat is mixed with aromatic spices before being shaped and grilled. This recipe takes inspiration from those traditional flavours, combining warming spices such as cumin, cardamom and garam masala with fresh coriander to create tender, flavour-packed koftas that are ideal for both weeknight dinners and special occasions.  

The jewelled rice is the perfect accompaniment, adding texture, sweetness and colour to every bite. Pistachios and fresh pomegranate seeds bring a wonderful contrast to the savoury lamb, while fragrant basmati rice provides a light and fluffy base. The combination creates a balanced meal that's satisfying without feeling heavy.  

One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility. The koftas can be grilled on the barbecue during the summer, cooked on a griddle pan for extra char, baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer. They're also ideal for meal prep, as the kofta mixture can be made ahead and chilled until you're ready to cook.  

Serve the koftas with cooling garlic yoghurt or tzatziki, warm flatbreads, houmous and a crunchy lettuce salad for a complete Middle Eastern-inspired feast. Whether you're cooking for family, entertaining friends or simply looking for a fresh way to use lamb mince, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavour with surprisingly little effort.  

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Instructions

Make the lamb kofta mixture and soak the rice:

1. Put the red onion in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Tip in the lamb mince, cumin, chilli flakes, lemon zest and juice, coriander, garlic, ginger, sugar, black pepper and fine sea salt, and pulse again until everything is evenly combined. Tip the mixture into a bowl, cover and chill for 2 hours. Meanwhile, for the jewelled rice, tip the rice into a large bowl, cover with lukewarm water and leave to soak for 2 hours. Drain well. 

Make the jewelled rice:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a medium low heat and gently fry the red onion with the cider vinegar for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are caramelised and ruby coloured, stirring occasionally. Remove to a bowl and set aside, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible. 
2. Turn the heat up to high (if the onions have soaked up most of the oil, you may need to add another tablespoon) and tip in the cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Sizzle for 45 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium, add the white onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the ginger, garlic and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and fine sea salt, and cook for another minute, then add the rice. Mix for 1 minute to coat the rice in the flavoured oil, then pour in the just boiled water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then reduce the heat to the lowest it will go, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Add the saffron mixture, coriander, pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios, tossing them gently through the rice mixture. Cover and set aside until ready to serve. 

Cook the koftas, make the yogurt sauce and serve:

1. Heat the barbecue or grill to its highest setting. Mould 3 tbsp of the cold lamb mixture into a diamond shape around a metal skewer using your hands, then repeat with the rest of the mixture - you should be able to make 8 generous koftas in total. Barbecue or grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until charred at the edges. 
2. Whisk together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a jug or small bowl. Spoon the jewelled rice into a serving dish or platter, top with the slow-cooked red onion and arrange the koftas on top. Scatter with more chopped pistachios, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander, then drizzle with the tangy yogurt sauce. 

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Lamb Koftas with Jewelled Rice

By: Deborah

Juicy homemade lamb koftas with jewelled rice packed with spices, fruit and nuts. An easy Middle Eastern-inspired dinner for any night of the week.

PREP: 30 minutes mins

Chilling and soaking time: 2 hours hrs

COOK: 55 minutes mins

TOTAL: 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

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Equipment

• Food processor
• Sieve
• Colander
• Small frying pan
• Frying pan
• Cast iron skillet
• BBQ
• Metal skewers
• Platter

Ingredients

Lamb Koftas:

• 1 large red onion (approx. 200g) quartered
• 500 g (1.1 lb) lamb mince
• 2.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 lemons zest of both, juice of 1
• a small bunch of coriander chopped
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 20 g (0.7 oz) fresh ginger unpeeled and grated
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground black peppercorns
• 1.25 tsp fine sea salt

Jewelled rice:

• 260 g (0.6 lb) basmati rice rinsed
• 2.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion (approx. 200g) finely sliced into rings
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 7 cardamom pods gently crushed
• 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large white onion (approx. 200g) finely chopped
• 10 g (0.4 oz) fresh ginger unpeeled and finely grated
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 160 g (5.6 oz) carrots peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1.5 tsp garam masala
• 1.25 tsp fine sea salt
• 535 ml (2 ⅓ cups) just boiled water
• 7 threads saffron mixed with 2 tsp warm milk
• 1.5 tbsp chopped coriander plus extra to serve
• 65 g (2.3 oz) pomegranate seeds plus extra to serve
• 35 g (1.2 oz) shelled pistachios toasted and roughly chopped, plus extra to serve (see Notes)

Yogurt Sauce:

• 200 ml (6.8 floz) natural yogurt
• half a lime zested and juiced
• 2 tsp sumac

Instructions

Make the lamb kofta mixture and soak the rice:

• Put the red onion in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Tip in the lamb mince, cumin, chilli flakes, lemon zest and juice, coriander, garlic, ginger, sugar, black pepper and fine sea salt, and pulse again until everything is evenly combined. Tip the mixture into a bowl, cover and chill for 2 hours. Meanwhile, for the jewelled rice, tip the rice into a large bowl, cover with lukewarm water and leave to soak for 2 hours. Drain well.

Make the jewelled rice:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a medium low heat and gently fry the red onion with the cider vinegar for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are caramelised and ruby coloured, stirring occasionally. Remove to a bowl and set aside, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
• Turn the heat up to high (if the onions have soaked up most of the oil, you may need to add another tablespoon) and tip in the cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Sizzle for 45 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium, add the white onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
• Add the ginger, garlic and carrots, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and fine sea salt, and cook for another minute, then add the rice. Mix for 1 minute to coat the rice in the flavoured oil, then pour in the just boiled water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then reduce the heat to the lowest it will go, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Add the saffron mixture, coriander, pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios, tossing them gently through the rice mixture. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Cook the koftas, make the yogurt sauce and serve:

• Heat the barbecue or grill to its highest setting. Mould 3 tbsp of the cold lamb mixture into a diamond shape around a metal skewer using your hands, then repeat with the rest of the mixture - you should be able to make 8 generous koftas in total. Barbecue or grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until charred at the edges.
• Whisk together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a jug or small bowl. Spoon the jewelled rice into a serving dish or platter, top with the slow-cooked red onion and arrange the koftas on top. Scatter with more chopped pistachios, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander, then drizzle with the tangy yogurt sauce.

Notes

• Toasted pistachios - heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and toast the pistachios in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden.
• Optional variations: 
  • Chicken, beef or turkey koftas - replace the lamb mince with chicken, beef or turkey mince. 
  • Spicy harissa koftas - add harissa paste to the lamb mixture. 
  • Mint and feta koftas - add chopped mint leaves and crumbled feta to the lamb mixture. 
  • Low-carb version - serve the koftas with cauliflower rice or salad for a low-carb version. 
• This lamb koftas with jewelled rice recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.  
   

 

You might also like to try: 

• lamb dishes 
• Middle Eastern recipes 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 739kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1629mg | Potassium: 1119mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 7132IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 252mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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