Arabic recipesMain dishes
Kafta bil Tahini: baked kofta and potatoes in sesame-lemon sauce
Kafta bil tahini is a comforting Palestinian, Jordanian, Syrian and Lebanese traybake of spiced minced meat and parsley topped with golden potato slices and baked in tangy tahini-lemon sauce. Finished with nuts sizzled in ghee, it comes straight from oven to table.
Also known as:Kofta bil tahinisiniyet kaftaLevantine tahini kofta traybake
Servings4
Prep time20 min
Cook time35 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 600 g minced lamb or beef
- 1 medium onion, finely grated and squeezed dry, plus 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp seven-spice, salt and black pepper
- 3 medium waxy potatoes sliced 5 mm thick
- 120 g tahini
- Juice of 1 large lemon, about 220 ml cold water and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter ghee for toasting pine nuts or slivered almonds, optional drizzle of pomegranate molasses
Preparation Steps
- 1Knead the minced meat with the grated onion, parsley, seven-spice, salt and pepper, then press evenly into a baking dish or shape into plump fingers.
- 2Bake at 200 C for 15 minutes until set; meanwhile pan-fry or roast the potato slices in a little oil until golden-tender and layer them over the kafta.
- 3Whisk the tahini with lemon juice and salt until it thickens, then gradually whisk in cold water until smooth and pourable like single cream.
- 4Pour the tahini sauce over the meat and potatoes and return to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until gently bubbling and velvety.
- 5Toast the pine nuts or almonds in 1 tbsp hot ghee, spoon over the dish with fresh parsley and a light thread of pomegranate molasses, and serve with vermicelli rice or flatbread.
