Black bean kofta – full of protein and flavour.
Before becoming fully plant based, I had been vegetarian on and off for 30 years. I had recreated recipes from all over the world in my kitchen in Devon. To say my husband was a little bit upset at the thought of never eating my Chinese BBQ pork or beef kofta is an understatement. So here we are 8 years later, fully plant based, recreating all our favourite recipes but using only plants.
For my videos I cut and blend most things by hand so there’s no excuses of ‘oh I don’t have a food processor’. All appliances are different, so cooking times my differ.
Today I am using black beans – mainly for the colour, but you can use any beans you prefer.
For the flat bread
- 1 cup flour
- Half teaspoon salt
- Half teaspoon turmeric
- Half teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Coconut milk to bind into a dough.
I don’t give exact measurements for the coconut milk as it will depend on the flour you use and what your environment is like. Start with a quarter cup of coconut milk, mix and add little by little until you get a stiff dough.
Divide into 6, roll into balls and then into desired flatbread shape with a rolling pin. Heat a frying pan – NO OIL. Dry fry one side (about 1 minute) and then flip over.
Bean kofta
- 1 cup black beans
- Half stick celery
- 1 scallion or chalotte or 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Half a sweet pepper
- Fresh herbs (I’m using lemon thyme and chives but recommend using cilantro/coriander)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or chopped fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch of chilli powder
- Half teaspoon cinnamon
- Black pepper and sea salt
Finely chop the fresh herbs and veg. Add the beans in a bowl along with all other ingredients. Use something to squish the mixture into a paste – could be a glass, jar, rolling pin.
Shape into 4 sausages/koftas and drizzle with olive oil. I also threw on some sliced onions. Place in the airfryer or oven on a high heat for 10-15 minutes. I used an airfryer on 180° for 15 minutes, turning once.
For the parsnip chips
Finely slice 2 parsnips, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon paprika, good pinch of sea salt, drizzle over olive oil. Toss the parsnips to ensure they are coated before cooking. Cook in oven/airfryer on 175°C for 10 minutes and check. How long you cook them depends on how crunchy you like them.
To serve, squish the kofta onto the flatbread, add homemade tomato sauce, fried onions, fresh herbs like mint/coriander and some scallions/chives. Tahini is essential for me, although my husband prefers mayo. I mix 1 tablespoon tahini with the juice of one lemon and pinch of sea salt.
I make my recipes up as I go, depending on what fresh ingredients and spices I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment, generally, the only way you can ruin a dish is by adding too much salt or hot spice.
Have a beautiful day!