How to make turkey kofta with dried fruit pistachios

If you overcook turkey mince then a rubber tyre suddenly looks appealing, says Julia Platt Leonard

Leonard's turkey kofta recipe (Julia Platt Leonard @juliapleonard)

Overcook turkey mince and suddenly a rubber tyre looks tasty; under season it and you’ll want seconds of that tyre. Both problems can be remedied easily. To make them moist, add an egg to the mixture and never breadcrumbs.

The mixture is much looser so you can’t form it into firm patties, but that’s not a bad thing. Simply spoon or plop some onto a hot, greased frying pan. Keep them small – around 4cm so they cook quickly and you don’t have to worry about uncooked turkey meat in the middle.

Be fearless with your seasoning. Start with things you’d use for more traditional lamb kofta (small patties or meatballs). Dill, chives and coriander are all good contenders; add nuts or seeds for crunch and texture, dried fruit for sweetness and lemon zest for acidity. Take an extra minute to cook a test patty to make sure you’re happy with the seasoning – if not, adjust and cook another.

Serve your turkey koftas on flat bread, tortillas or a well-made slice of sour dough toast. To accompany, serve with hummus or a cabbage slaw – simply slice red or green cabbage and toss with buttermilk dill dressing and garnish with caraway seeds.

Makes about 20, enough for 4-5 servings

Turkey kofta should be moist and firm and never made with breadcrumbs (Julia Platt Leonard @juliapleonard)

Recipe:

500g turkey mince
1 egg, beaten
20g dried barberries or chopped dried cranberries​
20g pistachios, chopped
small handful of dill, chopped (about 1-1 ½ Tbsp)
zest of 1 lemon
½- 1 tsp salt
Black pepper or mild red pepper flakes
Olive oil

Mix the turkey with the egg. Stir in the barberries or dried cranberries, pistachios, dill and lemon zest. Add salt and either black pepper or red pepper flakes. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil is hot, drop a small spoonful of the turkey mixture onto the pan. Cook for a minute or two, then turn. The kofta should be nicely browned on both sides. Taste to ensure it’s well seasoned. Add more salt and pepper or fresh herbs as needed.

Cook the remaining kofta in batches, keeping the cooked ones warm. Serve with hummus or slaw.