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Ground Turkey Kofta Meatballs with Tahini Sauce

Name: Ground Turkey Kofta Meatballs with Tahini Sauce
Prep time: 19 min
Total time: 19 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: turkey meat — 680 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 12 g; parsley — 20 g; mint — 15 g; egg — 100 g; bread crumbs italian style — 79 g; cumin — 7 g; coriander — 1 g; cinnamon — 3 g; salt — 9 g; olive oil — 27 g; tahini — 109 g; lemon juice — 59 g; cold water — 59 g

Ground Turkey Kofta Meatballs with Tahini Sauce reads citrus 5.3, sourness 4.8 and allium 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 19 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.1 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.8 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.3 · Sourness 4.8 · Allium 4.7 · Richness 4.5 · Herbaceous 4.1 · Nutty 4.1 · Salinity 3.7 · Umami 3.6 · Earthy 2.3 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Sweetness 2.1 · Floral 1.5 · Bitterness 1.3 · Fruity 1.1

What's in it (15)

turkey meat — 680 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 12 g
parsley — 20 g
mint — 15 g
egg — 100 g
bread crumbs italian style — 79 g
cumin — 7 g
coriander — 1 g
cinnamon — 3 g
salt — 9 g
olive oil — 27 g
tahini — 109 g
lemon juice — 59 g
cold water — 59 g

Time & effort: about 19 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 144.4 kcal, 14.6 g protein, 6.9 g fat, 7.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, grated onion, 3 cloves of the garlic, half the parsley, all the mint, egg, panko, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt. Mix gently with your hands just until combined — overmixing makes the meatballs dense.
Shape the mixture into 16 oval kofta, about a generous 1/4 cup (3 1/2 tablespoons) each, using lightly wet hands to keep the mixture from sticking.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the kofta in two batches, turning every couple of minutes, until deeply browned on all sides, 6-7 minutes per batch; transfer each batch to a plate as it finishes.
Return all the kofta to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until they reach 165F at the center and are no longer pink inside, 7-8 minutes more.
While the kofta finish cooking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, the remaining clove of garlic, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl — the mixture will seize and turn pasty. Whisk in the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
Taste the tahini sauce and whisk in a little more ice water or salt if needed to loosen and balance it.
Arrange the kofta on a platter, drizzle generously with the tahini sauce, and scatter with the remaining parsley to finish.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Harissa Chicken Meatballs with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce — Middle Eastern
Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay) — Indonesian
Mediterranean Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad — Mediterranean
Egyptian Hummus — Egyptian
Shawarma (Egyptian Style) — Egyptian

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.