Test Kitchen: Chickpea and Freekeh Kofte with Pomegranate Molasses

Freekeh, a roasted green wheat, is catching on quickly in the culinary scene

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Note: Not dissimilar to falafel, “kofte” refers to meatballs made of minced lamb. I’ve crafted a vegetarian variant with ground and mashed chickpeas balled up with herbs and spices, then fried. I used ras al hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, which can likely be found at A to Z International Fine Foods, but I’ve included a recipe for the mix below. Read more about international groceries in Baton Rouge here.

Yield: 4–6 as appetizer

Ingredients:

For the kofte:


  • 1 cup freekeh

  • 2 +1/2 tbsp. olive oil

  • 1/2 cup white onion, diced
  • 
Spicy Chickpea Mash (see recipe below)

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 2 tbsp. parsley, minced (plus more for garnish)

  • 6 mint leaves, torn
  • 
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

  • 2 tsp. Ras Al Hanout (recipe below)
  • 
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • canola oil (for frying)

  • 3 tbsp. pomegranate molasses

For the spicy chickpea mash:


  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 
2 tsp. za’atar
  • 
2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 
2 tbsp. olive oil



For the ras al hanout:


  • 1 tsp. ground ginger

  • 1 tsp. ground cumin 
1 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves


Method:


For the spicy chickpea mash: Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Blend mix in a large food processor, then return to mixing bowl and mash until smooth. Some chickpeas can be left unmashed for texture.

For the ras al hanout: Pour all spices into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine.


For the kofte:

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until softened. Add freekeh and cook for another 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in 2 +1/2 cups water and stir once to prevent grains from sticking. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer, covering the pot. Cook for 50 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
  3. Once cooked, let freekeh cool to room temperature. Fold in the spicy chickpea mash, as well as eggs, parsley and mint, cayenne, ras al hanout, and breadcrumbs. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine.
  4. Form mixture into balls 2 inches in diameter, shaped as roundly as possible. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, pour in 1+1/2 inches of canola oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add in the kofte, frying in batches of 6 so as not to overcrowd the pan, and cook 2–3 minutes on each side.


To plate: Garnish a platter with torn parsley leaves, then top with kofte (served hot). Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and then serve.