Lamb Koftas and Home-made Naan

My son, Jake (nearly 12) had a cookery session at school last week.  He loves to cook and was very enthusiastic about the ladies who were running the class, Kids Can Cook (Find them at www.kidscancook.com).  A group of about nine boys produced Lamb Koftas, with Naan Bread and Raita and then ate the lot!

So, I decided he could produce it for our tea yesterday.  What a stress (for me!), and what a Success!

Very easy to assemble and to cook, we managed it in around 30 minutes, probably eating within about 40 minutes - pretty good for a weekday!  Have a go.  The Naan taste very authentic because of the onion seeds, and they are So Easy to make.

Lamb Koftas

300g minced lamb

half medium onion, finely chopped

1.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

olive oil for frying

Grated carrot and finely chopped lettuce

Raita

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat.  Grate the ginger and garlic and add all the ingredients to the bowl.  Wet your hands and roll into balls, just smaller than a golf ball.

Gently fry in the olive oil until browned and cooked right through.

Serve with naan bread.

Naan Bread

350g self-raising flour

1 tsp black onion seeds

3/4 tsp salt

25g butter, melted

230ml half yoghurt/half water

Mix all the ingredients until just combined.  Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat another frying pan (or heat the grill).  Cut the dough into 4-5 pieces and roll to 3-4mm thick.  Dry fry in the pan.

Split and serve with the koftas and raita.

Raita

250g plain yoghurt

10cm cucumber, chopped finely

pinch salt

pinch cumin

handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Felafels
I also had a go at these again!  And this time was quite successful!


A can of drained chickpeas
A small onion, chopped
splash of olive oil
1 egg
2 grated carrots
salt and pepper
pinch of cumin powder


Whizz everything in a food-processor until pureed.  Fry in oil until browned on each side, then serve with the above.

WHAT I HAVE BEEN COOKING:

Somerset Apple Cake

What a delicious cake!  It is moist enough to be a pudding, and the cider-soaked sultanas and lemon zest lift this cake to something really special. You have to start this the day before and soak the sultanas in the cider overnight. The recipe is from long ago in my recipe book, hence the imperial measurements! 

8oz caster sugar

6oz butter

10oz plain flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

zest of a lemon

2 large Bramley apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

6oz sultanas

5 floz dry cider

Heat the oven to 160degrees/gas mk 4.  Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Fold in the dry ingredients, lemon zest and thinly sliced apples.  Add the sultanas.

Tip into a lined 20cm cake tin and bake for about 1 hour until golden brown on top.

Cool and serve with sweetened, whipped cream!

Chocolate Crispy Squares

Last, but not least, I rustled up some of these for a sweet treat.  They take all of 10mins to make!

3 Mars Bars

2oz butter

3oz rice crispies

Melt the butter in a medium pan.  Add the Mars Bars and stir until melted.  Add the rice crispies and coat thoroughly with the chocolate.  Tip into a 20cm square tin and put in the 'fridge to set.  Yum!