Mushroom Köfte
Köfte are traditionally made with ground meat, bulgur or vegetables. They have been integral to Arab and Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions for centuries. Formed into little round balls, tapered cigar shapes, or small hamburger-type patties, they are usually browned and then finished in a sauce or stew.
My version combines minced mushrooms with chickpea flour, gluten and spices. They are simple to form and cook, but they can turn chewy if overworked – so be sure to work fast and with a light touch.
Shopping Notes: Most of the ingredients are readily available in most supermarkets. Vital gluten is simple
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Köfte are traditionally made with ground meat, bulgur or vegetables. They have been integral to Arab and Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions for centuries. Formed into little round balls, tapered cigar shapes, or small hamburger-type patties, they are usually browned and then finished in a sauce or stew.
My version combines minced mushrooms with chickpea flour, gluten and spices. They are simple to form and cook, but they can turn chewy if overworked – so be sure to work fast and with a light touch.
Shopping Notes: Most of the ingredients are readily available in most supermarkets. Vital gluten is simple to purchase online or in a health food store. Mushroom powder is simple to make if you can’t find any – grind dried mushrooms in a spice or coffee grinder, then put through a strainer.
Make Ahead Note: Allow one day to prepare, cook and refrigerate the köfte. The texture is much nicer after a night in the refrigerator. The final browning can be done in a frying pan or hot oven. Leftover köfte can be stored in the refrigerator for about one week or frozen for 6-9 months. Make sure to poach the köfte and cool them completely before storing them. Brown refrigerated or thawed köfte well in the frying pan or in a hot oven.
Difficulty: moderate
Yield: makes 15-18 walnut-sized balls