RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Beef koftas with Persian jewelled rice

Name: RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Beef koftas with Persian jewelled rice
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 5-6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1½ cups basmati rice (uncooked); ½ tsp (0.25g) saffron threads (*see note for substitutions); 500ml (2 cups) boiling water; 2 tbsp ghee** (see note); ¼ tsp fennel seeds*; ¼ tsp cumin seeds*; 1 cinnamon stick*; 2 cloves*; 1 onion, finely diced; ⅛ tsp allspice powder; ⅛ tsp cardamom powder*; 2 bay leaves; ¾ tsp cooking salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ½ cup dried apricots*, cut into 0.5cm cubes; ½ cup golden raisins*; ⅓ cup slivered almonds*, lightly toasted

RecipeTin Eats

August 15, 2022

Beef koftas perched on Persian-style rice.Nagi Maehashi

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:5-6

There's a mighty long list of ingredients in this stunning dish. But once you start reading, you'll find that most ingredients are pantry items. And therein lies the beauty of this magnificent, flexible centrepiece. This recipe has a nice flow to it. Make the kofta mixture first, then prepare the jewelled rice. Form the kofta balls while the rice is cooking, then cook the koftas while the rice is resting. Then you can plate it up while everything is piping hot!

Ingredients

Jewelled rice

1½ cups basmati rice (uncooked)
½ tsp (0.25g) saffron threads (*see note for substitutions)
500ml (2 cups) boiling water
2 tbsp ghee** (see note)
¼ tsp fennel seeds*
¼ tsp cumin seeds*
1 cinnamon stick*
2 cloves*
1 onion, finely diced
⅛ tsp allspice powder
⅛ tsp cardamom powder*
2 bay leaves
¾ tsp cooking salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup dried apricots*, cut into 0.5cm cubes
½ cup golden raisins*
⅓ cup slivered almonds*, lightly toasted

Koftas

500g beef mince
½ red onion, grated using a box grater
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
70g (½ cup) Greek feta, crumbled
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional), plus extra for garnish
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamom powder*
1 tsp cooking salt
1½ tbsp olive oil

To serve

seeds of ½ pomegranate*** or chopped red grapes (see note)
¼ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
chopped parsley
plain yoghurt

Method

1. Rinse the rice by placing it in a large bowl, filling with water and swishing it around with your hands for 5 seconds. Drain the milky water then repeat 3 more times. Drain rice well in a colander.
2. Grind the saffron in a mortar with a pestle (this releases more flavour and colour), then add 2 tablespoons of the boiling water.
3. To make the jewelled rice, melt the ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Toast the fennel and cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves for 1½ minutes. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the saffron water then rinse out the mortar with more of the boiling water and add it to the saucepan. Add remaining water and jewelled rice ingredients (including the rinsed rice!) to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes (no peeking, no stirring!) until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the stove and allow it to rest for 10 minutes with the lid on. Fluff the rice.
4. To make the koftas, preheat oven to 80C fan-forced (100C conventional). Place all kofta ingredients except oil in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Form 20 balls (1 very heaped tablespoon), then squish them so they are 1.5cm thick. Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Cook half the koftas for 2 minutes on the first side then 1 minute on the other side. Transfer to a tray then keep warm in the oven. Cook remaining koftas (you won't need more oil).
5. To serve, pile the jewelled rice on a platter and top with koftas. Sprinkle with a shower of pomegranate seeds, nuts and chopped parsley. Serve with yoghurt on the side.
Notes
*Substitutes:
Saffron can be substituted with ⅛ tsp imitation saffron powder
Fennel and cumin seeds – ⅛ tsp powder
Cinnamon stick – ⅛ tsp powder
Cloves – pinch of clove or allspice powder
Allspice powder – mixed powder
Cardamom powder – allspice powder
Dried apricots – other dried fruit
Golden raisins – sultanas, cranberries or similar
Slivered almonds – chopped almonds, pistachios or pine nuts.
**Ghee is a type of clarified butter used in Persian cooking. It has a more intense buttery flavour. Substitute butter.
***To remove the seeds (arils) from the pomegranate, cut the fruit in half and hold the pomegranate with the cut face towards your palm over a large bowl. Hit the skin side firmly with a wooden spoon so the seeds fall out through your fingers into the bowl.
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