My other half loves a kebab. I mean LOVES a kebab. So, always keen to try and convince him to go for the healthy homemade option rather than the crusty and uber calorific shop bought version, I thought I would try a different take on one this week.

Having invested in a pack of lean lamb mince, I began experimenting and I have to say, the results even blew me away. The meatballs were juicy and flavoursome and the accompaniments easy to make and bursting with the flavour.

There are two amazing things about this recipe. The first is that it makes 36 meatballs, yes 36 meatballs!! That’s six whole portions at six meatballs per person. I used two portions in the recipe below and froze the rest (uncooked) to use at another time.

The second great thing about this recipe is it’s quick and easy. You can basically accompany it with anything you fancy although the below combination really is a winner. If you make the meatballs in a large batch in advance like I did, it’s even easier.

I was served this in some wholemeal flat bread pittas which are around 3sp each with a large fresh side salad for that extra bit of something.

 Fake Away Meatball Kofte Kebab

Ingredients

Serves 2 = 10sp each (flex)

(6sp for meatballs, 3sp for flatbread, 0sp for harissa and mint yoghurt and 1sp for feta).

For the meatballs

This recipe makes 36 meatballs – I make six servings out of this with six meatballs per person. Use two servings for the kofte recipe (12 meatballs)

500g lean lamb mince

1 tbsp harrisa paste

2 tsp ground coriander and cumin

1 tsp crushed chillies and ground cinnamon

1 onion, grated

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 egg, beaten

Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

For the kebab

1 onion, finely sliced

1 pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 tbsp Ras-el-Hanout (or Moroccan Spice Mix/Harissa Spice Mix – both Shwartz)

2 x pitta/flatbreads of your choosing  (or 1 Sainsbury’s Wholemeal Flatbread, (3sp))

Tub of fat free Greek yoghurt

• Mint Yoghurt – mix 100ml yoghurt with half a grated cucumber, 1 tsp mint sauce, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper
• Harissa Yoghurt – mix 100ml yoghurt with 1 tsp harissa paste, a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of paprika and salt and pepper

Salad leaves of your choice

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

40g light feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c.

In a large bowl add all of the meatball ingredients. Mix until well combined and then using either your hands or, if you have one, a meatball press (I got mine from eBay and it was really good value!), form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs, rolling in your palms until nicely shaped.

Then take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium heat, fry the meatballs until browned on the outsides. Remove from the pan and pop onto a plate.

In the same pan, spray with 1kal and add the onion, peppers and Ras-el-Hanout (or alternative spice mix) and fry for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the meatballs back into the pan and pop into the oven for 15 minutes so they cook through (if you don’t have an oven proof pan, pop them into a baking dish). If you are having the Sainsbury’s flatbread like we did, pop this in the oven for the last 7 minutes of cooking.

While the meatballs/onions/peppers are cooking, prepare all the other ingredients and set out ready for assembly.

Then remove meatballs from the oven and begin constructing your kebab.

We had the flatbread open and then fill from the bottom, topped with harissa yoghurt, then salad leaves, then onions and peppers, then meatballs and coriander and then finally feta cheese and mint yoghurt. It was literally a feast for the tastebuds!

Enjoy!