Meatless Kofta with Harissa Tzatziki

Transport your tastebuds to a Mediterranean spice bazaar with these vegetarian Kofta with Harissa Tzatziki sauce. In this recipe, Einav Gefen, corporate executive chef at Unilever Food Solutions replaces the traditional ground meat with The Vegetarian Butcher Ground Beef, a delicious and versatile plant-based meat alternative. Chef Einav spreads some Harissa Tzatziki on the flatbread, and adds arugula, sliced tomatoes, the Kofta, mint, parsley, and feta cheese. Enjoy! Watch the video below and download a recipe here!

 
 

Yield: 6 portions, 12 Pieces Kofta


Ingredients

Harissa Paste

1 oz., Guajillo chiles, seeded, stemmed, split
½ tsp., Cumin seeds, toasted, ground
½ tsp., Coriander seeds, toasted, ground
1 tsp., Caraway seeds, toasted, ground
1 oz., Extra-virgin olive oil
as needed, Water
as needed, Salt
as needed, Ground black pepper

Harissa Tzatziki

1 cup, Cucumbers, seeded, grated
as needed, Salt
1 cup, Greek yogurt, dairy free
2 Tbsp., Harissa Paste (see above)
1 Tbsp., Garlic, roasted
1 Tbsp., Cilantro, chopped
as needed, Lemon juice

Kofta

1 lb., The Vegetarian Butcher Ground Beef
1 tsp., Cumin seeds, toasted, ground
½ tsp., Coriander seeds, toasted, ground
1 ½ Tbsp., Harissa
2 tsp., Garlic clove, smashed with salt
2 tsp., Ginger, minced
½ cup, Onion, white, medium, minced
¼ cup, Green onion, minced
2 Tbsp., Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp., Mint, chopped
1 tsp., Lemon zes
1 tsp., Lemon juice
as needed, Salt
as needed, Ground black pepper

2 Tbsp., Olive oil

Assembly

1 lb., Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 bu., Arugula
¼ cup, Mint leaves, torn
¼ cup, Parsley leaves
6 Tbsp., Extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup, Feta cheese
as needed, Harissa Tzatziki (see above)
1 ½ Tbsp., Lemon juice
6 ea., Flatbread, whole wheat

Method

  1. For the Harissa: Toast the chiles, and soak in water to cover until soft.

  2. Drain chiles, place in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.  

  3. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

  4. For the Harissa Tzatziki: Place the cucumbers in a bowl. Season with salt. Place in a sieve and let drain for 15 minutes.

  5. Combine the cucumbers with the remaining ingredients. Season with pepper and salt as needed.

  6. For the Kofta: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook off a sample, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Form into 4” rectangles, and make 3 equally-spaced indentations. Chill for 1 hour.

  7. To Serve: Preheat a grill.

  8. Brush the Kofta with a little oil. Grill, turning periodically until cooked through and nicely charred.

  9. Serve two pieces of kofta with sliced tomatoes, arugula, herbs, feta cheese, Harissa Tzatziki on whole grain flatbread. Wrap the flatbread around the ingredients and pin closed with a skewer. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.


This recipe and video were produced by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service,
thanks to the sponsorship and support of Unilever Food Solutions and The Vegetarian Butcher.