Persian Ramadan Lamb and Lentil Shami Kofta
Persian Ramadan Lamb and Lentil Shami (Kofta) is a delicious go-to recipe! Shami Kofta is what we call this recipe in the northern region of Iran. Especially before the month of Ramadan, you'll find mothers and grandmothers making these in big batches, freezing them, so that they have enough to last them throughout the month.
For some reason these are only made during Ramadan, and if you do happen to find any made after Ramadan, it's usually because they were some leftover in the freezer; and of course mothers need to make use of these. The taste of Shami Kofta and the smell of it in the house while frying them makes you feel nostalgic about Ramadan.
One of my favorite things I love about these Koftas is that they can be made vegetarian, just take the lamb away and you're good to go.
What are Shami Koftas?
A Shami Kofta is a mix of beef, lentils, chickpeas and potato shaped together into circles and fried in hot oil until golden brown.
These Kofta snack pieces are melt in mouth heaven bites that make for the perfect side platters, served alone with any sauce of your choice! Or used as patty pieces for a packed burger or sandwich.
You can also serve them as a side along with bread pieces and salad.
Small in size but big in taste!
The Satisfying Snack
Classic snack recipes that add color and flavor to our table is a must!
Not only are the steps to making these snacks straight-forward and easy to follow, it doesn't take much time and you end up with delicious Shami Kofta snack pieces that your entire family will love!
These kid-friendly, donut-shaped koftas are made of healthy ingredients blended together into the perfect snack, adding colour, tradition and warmth to your table! In one easy recipe, you can make enough to enjoy the moment but also freeze the rest for another day. When life gets busy, your Shami Kofta will be within arm's reach.
Bite-sized Shami Kofta
Tips to perfect you Persian Ramadan Lamb and Lentil Shami
As the saying goes, consistency is key.. and with Shami Kofta, it really is. With the measurements in the recipe below, there shouldn't be a struggle with the mixture becoming too hard but more often, it's a matter of the mixture consistency being too lose and so doesn't hold together well in the frying process. Feel free to add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs, one at a time, until you improve its consistency.
Another tip! You can make as many Shami Koftas as you need, shape them into little circular donuts and layer them in a tray. Flash freeze for a couple hours until they solidify, then simply, divide them up into batches of 10-15 (depending on how big your family is) and there you have it, ready-to-fry Shami Koftas - without the need to defrost all of them in one go. Batch ready for every occasion!
Soft textured and vibrantly coloured Shami Koftas
Ingredients
Gather your ingredients and get ready to create your Ramadan special Shami Koftas!
- Dried chickpeas
- Yellow lentils
- Beef
- Onion
- Potato
- Eggs
- Garlic granules or fresh garlic
- Ground coriander
- Black pepper
- Cumin
- Ground ginger
- Salt to taste
- Oil to shallow fry
Ready for the steps?
Place the beef, lentils and chickpeas with the onion all in one pot and fill the pot with water. Bring to boil and cook until both the legumes and meat are cooked.
Boil the potato in another pot. Once fully cooked, put the contents of the pot through a drainer to remove all the liquid.
First, hand shred the beef chunk in a large bowl as finely as possible, then hand mash the cooked potato and add this to the shredded beef.
The legumes need to be fully pureed in a food processor and also added to the shredded beef.
Add all the seasonings to the bowl as well as the eggs and mix well to combine all ingredients.
Heat a medium frying pan with oil, scoop the kofta mixture a little at a time, shape it and gently flatten it. If you want your Shami kofta to have a whole in the center like mine did, put your finger though the center from one side and then the other to get a clean finish.
Gently place in the hot oil to shallow fry until golden brown colour.
Don't flip them until they are fully browned on one side and hardened.
Enjoy alongside fresh salad, herbs, cheese and bread! Bon appetite!
Shami Kofta tastes just as good as it looks.. if not, better!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare my Shami Kofta 1-2 days before frying?
How do I shape my Shami Koftas?
How do I freeze the Shami Koftas?
Other recipes to indulge in
Tahchin – Persian Saffron Rice with Chicken
Chicken Coriander Mayo Avocado Sandwiches
These kid-friendly, donut-shaped koftas are made of healthy ingredients blended together into the perfect snack, adding colour, tradition and warmth to your table!
- 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
- 1 cup split yellow lentils
- 500 g beef chunk
- 1 large onion (quartered)
- 1 large potato (boiled and peeled)
- 3 medium eggs
- 2 tsp garlic granules or fresh garlic
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Salt to taste
- Oil to shallow fry
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Place the beef, lentils and chickpeas with the onion all in one pot and fill the pot with water. Bring to boil and cook until both the legumes and meat are cooked.
Boil the potato in another pot. Once fully cooked, put the contents of the pot through a drainer to remove all the liquid.
First, hand shred the beef chunk in a large bowl as finely as possible, then hand mash the cooked potato and add this to the shredded beef.
The legumes need to be fully pureed in a food processor and also added to the shredded beef.
Add all the seasonings to the bowl as well as the eggs and mix well to combine all ingredients.
Heat a medium frying pan with oil, scoop the kofta mixture a little at a time, shape it and gently flatten it. If you want your Shami kofta to have a whole in the center like mine did, put your finger though the center from one side and then the other to get a clean finish.
Gently place in the hot oil to shallow fry until golden brown colour.
Don't flip them until they are fully browned on one side and hardened.
Enjoy alongside fresh salad, herbs, cheese and bread! Bon appetite!
I'm Nelly, the recipes I share here are inspired by the people, cultures and places beloved to me. Peanutswirls represents my love for food, cooking and hosting. I hope to share with you a taste of the Middle East influnced by my upbringing in the West.
I can't wait to see what we cook together.
