FISH KOFTAS IN TOMATO AND CARDAMOM SAUCE
On first inspection, this dish looks like herb-flecked meatballs in tomato sauce, but the sauce is spiced, tangy and aromatic, and the meatballs are, well, fish balls, made of a combination of mackerel and sardines. We use tinned sardines here, for ease, but you can obviously substitute with fresh sardines, scaled and boned. You'll also want to pay attention to the total weight or volume of the mackerel: Some types are larger than others. All work here, but you may not need to buy as many fillets. Serve with some couscous or rice and a spoonful of yogurt, if you like.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories dinner, meatballs, seafood, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Start with the sauce: In a large sauté pan (choose one that has a lid), heat olive oil, garlic, half the sliced chile pepper and a good pinch of salt over medium-low heat. Gently fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and golden. Remove 2 tablespoons of the oil (with some of the chile and garlic) and set aside.
- Add celery, shallot and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the same pan and continue to cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, lime zest and juice and the cardamom and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 1/2 cups/350 milliliters water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, turning the heat down if the sauce bubbles too much, and stirring once in a while.
- While the sauce is simmering, make the fish koftas: Add fish, pistachios, herbs, lime zest, chile and egg to a bowl with 3 tablespoons potato flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt and mix together well. Grease your hands with a little oil and roll the mix into approximately 12 golf-sized balls (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 ounces/45 to 50 grams each), applying pressure to compact them as you go. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams flour to a plate and roll each ball in the flour so they are coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish balls and cook for about 5 minutes, turning throughout until all sides are golden-brown and crisp. (Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside if it finishes before you finish the koftas.)
- After the sauce has been cooking for 20 minutes, transfer the balls into the sauce, drizzling over some of the frying oil (or return the sauce to medium heat). Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 4 minutes, until hot.
- Remove the lid and scatter the herbs and the remaining fresh chile over the top, then drizzle with the reserved garlic and chile oil. Serve hot, with lime juice added to taste, or with lime wedges alongside.
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Donette Richards
[email protected]These fish koftas were delicious! The flavors were perfect and the koftas were cooked perfectly. I will definitely be making this dish again.
Shereen S Perera
[email protected]This recipe was easy to follow and the dish turned out great. The fish koftas were tender and juicy, and the sauce was flavorful and creamy. I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Morgan Toney
[email protected]I'm not a fan of fish, but I thought I would give this recipe a try. I was pleasantly surprised! The fish koftas were moist and flavorful, and the sauce was delicious. I would definitely make this dish again.
shan amjad
[email protected]I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my fish koftas turned out dry and bland. The sauce was also a bit too watery.
Sonam Yangchen
[email protected]This dish was a bit more work than I expected, but it was worth it. The fish koftas were delicious and the sauce was amazing. I would definitely recommend this recipe.
Baber Khan
[email protected]I had a hard time finding cardamom, but it was worth the effort. These fish koftas were so flavorful and delicious. I will definitely be making this dish again.
Zacashelaynah Maisey
[email protected]These fish koftas were a bit too spicy for my taste, but I still enjoyed them. The sauce was delicious and the koftas were cooked perfectly.
Ulani Asuncion
[email protected]I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish. The fish koftas were light and flavorful, and the sauce was rich and creamy. I will definitely be making this dish again.
Melissa Gillette
[email protected]These fish koftas were amazing! The flavors were so well-balanced and the koftas were cooked perfectly. I will definitely be making this dish again and again.
Danny Pettit
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of fish, but I really enjoyed these koftas. The sauce was flavorful and the koftas were moist and tender. I would definitely make this dish again.
Sarwar Baloch
[email protected]This dish was a hit with my family! The kids loved the koftas and the adults enjoyed the complex flavors of the sauce. I would highly recommend this recipe.
Boby Akter
[email protected]The fish koftas were easy to make and turned out perfectly. The sauce was delicious and the koftas were cooked just right. I will definitely be making this dish again.
Joackim Musafiri
[email protected]These fish koftas were a delightful blend of flavors and textures. The fish was tender and flaky, while the tomato and cardamom sauce was rich and flavorful. I especially enjoyed the hint of smokiness from the grilled tomatoes.