Köfte; Turkish meatballs

I don’t know why; but the Dutch kitchen is REALLY bland. Even after stealing some spices during the Dutch East Indian Company period; we kept it plain and simple. REALLY plain and simple. It’s the culture. Being plain and simple is a virtue. “Just being plain is silly enough” is a popular phrase.

THANK YOU migrants to help us who do not fit in the “plain” ; out.

Turkish has become one of my favourite kitchens. It’s still simple; uses cheap ingredients..but they actually knoooow how to make it interesting..

Köfte can also be found in countries surrounding Turkey; and just like Italian or Swedish meatballs; every family has it’s own recipe. I’m going to share my personal favourite one. It’s a combination of many köfte recipes I tried over the years in Turkey and from Dutch people with Turkish roots; and combined everything I liked in it into this köfte recipe.

I like to eat köfte with lebanese bread; but any other flat bread will do; Turkish bread is offcourse awesome with it. A salad from cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil and feta cheese (I’m poor so use the “white salad cheese we are not legally allowed to call feta” knock-off). Raw red onions mixed with parsley and sumac. Turkish (or Greek) full-fat yoghurt mixed with salt, pepper, mint, garlic and dried red pepper flakes, a lemon slice and this tomato rice. Instead of tomato rice you could also do cooked/baked potatoes with or without the skin on, french fries, beans & rice, or beans or rice.

I put them on fancy sticks. Because you know; I’m fancy like that (cough…someone left them at my place after a BBQ 3 years ago….) But you can also turn the meat in patty’s or any shape you want.

For the meat I use ground lamb meat. You can use half beef/half lamb or only beef. I like lamb and I like fat; so 100% lamb it is. But they are all technically köfte.

Afiyet olsun!