Charcoal-Spiced Kofta Feast

Name: Charcoal-Spiced Kofta Feast
Ingredients: 1 lb ground lamb; 1 lb ground beef; 1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry; 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ cup chopped parsley; ¼ cup chopped mint; 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, and paprika; ½ tsp each cinnamon, allspice, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper; 2 tbsp melted butter; 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, or 1 tsp each honey and balsamic; 1 tsp Aleppo pepper; 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed; 4 tbsp butter; 1 small onion, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 bay leaf and 1 cinnamon stick, optional; 4 cups chicken stock or water; ½ cup toasted pine nuts; 2 tbsp parsley, lemon zest, and salt to taste; 1 batch sourdough naan dough, divided into 8; 4 tbsp melted butter; 3–4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp parsley and flaky salt

Juicy lamb-and-beef kofta, buttery pine-nut rice, sourdough naan, four bright sauces, roasted carrots, and a plate of house pickles.

Kofta feast with rice, naan, sauces, and pickles

PREP45 min

COOK45 min

TOTALAbout 1½ hours

SERVES6–8

THE STORY

Put everything down. Let everyone build.

This is less a single recipe than a full-table way to eat. The kofta brings the charcoal and warm spice; the rice and naan make it substantial; the sauces move from cool and creamy to green and sharp; and the pickle plate cuts through everything.

The point is abundance without formality. Bring every bowl to the table at once and let each person build the plate that sounds right to them. Homemade does not have to mean precious—it can mean a crowded table and another piece of naan.

Build the feast

Mix and shape the kofta.Combine all kofta ingredients. Form 1-inch-thick logs around skewers or shape oval patties. Chill 20–30 minutes.
Cook the rice.Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet. Melt butter in a pot; soften onion, then add garlic, bay, and cinnamon for 1 minute. Stir in rice and toast 1–2 minutes. Add stock and salt, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15–18 minutes. Remove the whole spices; fluff and fold in pine nuts, parsley, and lemon zest.
Cook the naan.Stretch the eight dough pieces into ovals. Cook on hot cast iron or a pizza stone 2–3 minutes per side, until puffed and charred. Brush immediately with garlic butter; add parsley and flaky salt.
Grill the kofta.Cook over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, turning, until charred and cooked through to 160°F. Brush with the optional glaze during the last minute. Finish with parsley, pickled red onion, or feta.
Roast the carrots.Toss 1½ lb trimmed rainbow carrots with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp honey. Roast until browned and tender.
Build the board.Add kofta, rice, naan, carrots, sauces, lemon wedges, and a mix of house pickles. Serve everything together.

Sauce board

Tzatziki
Mix 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ grated and squeezed cucumber, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tbsp each lemon juice, olive oil, and dill; season and chill.

Roasted garlic whipped feta
Blend 4 oz feta, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 3 roasted garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp each lemon juice and honey, and black pepper.

Harissa honey yogurt
Whisk 1 cup Greek yogurt with 1–2 tbsp harissa, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

Herb green sauce
Blend 1 cup parsley, ½ cup mint, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 seeded jalapeño if desired, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and salt. Thin with water as needed.

THE TABLE IS OPEN

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Put everything down. Let everyone build.

Build the feast

Sauce board

Pass something cold alongside it.

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