Better Than A Takeaway …

We’re away from the office, home kitchen and in the heart of Brighton for a long weekend and the place is teeming with fast-food and takeaway places to eat – very, very tempting! But the last time I indulged big time with these (over a 3 day period admittedly) the scales moved north and I don’t want that again.

So my answer, since I have cooking facilities here, is to make a takeaway favourite that is better for me (and bariatrics) that has all the appeal of a fast food meal. These home-made koftas are lightly spiced and juicy with just a hint of fruitiness and are the perfect sharing type meal. Just put everything in the middle of the table and invite everyone to help themselves – ideal for the start of the BBQ season.

I like to serve mine with a salad (this time with cucumber, feta and tomatoes) and just a dollop of thick Greek yogurt or houmous, the latter is optional.

If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak in warm water for 15 minutes before cooking to prevent them from burning.

FRUITY LAMB KOFTAS WITH A GREEK STYLE SALAD

Ingredients

METRIC/US

50 g/2 oz bulgur wheat

250 g/8 oz extra lean lamb mince/lean ground lamb

½ small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander/cilantro

40 g/1½ oz craisins (dried cranberries)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

½ cucumber, halved and sliced

250 g/8 oz cherry vine tomatoes, halved

100 g/4 oz light feta cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

2 tbsp fat-free dressing

Method

Place the bulgur wheat in a small pan. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes until tender, then drain well.
Mix the lamb with the bulgur wheat, onion and garlic. Add the cumin, coriander/cilantro, craisins and half of the parsley. Mix well then divide into 12 portions.
Preheat the grill/broiler. Take a portion of the lamb mixture and press tightly around a skewer to form an oval. Repeat to make 12 skewers. Place on a grill/broiler pan and grill/broil for 10 minutes, turning until nicely browned and completely cooked through.
Meanwhile, to make the salad, mix the cucumber with the tomatoes, feta, mint and remaining parsley. Add the dressing and toss gently to mix. Serve alongside the cooked koftas.

SERVES 4

WLS PORTION: ½

CALORIES PER PORTION: 245

PROTEIN: 22.2 g

CARBOHYDRATE: 23 g

FAT: 6.6 g

Image courtesy of http://www.waitrose.com