TUNA KOFTA WITH BARBECUE GRAPES AND SOUR GARLIC SAUCE

SERVES 4

Kofta are traditionally made with ground meat, onion and spices, but I urge you to try them with minced tuna. They are so good! I suggest serving them with your choice of dips and tabbouleh, and they are phenomenal hot or cold rolled up in flatbread, but these accompaniments are by no means essential – the kofta are very much the stars here. Another tick in the margin is that they freeze exceptionally well, so you can make them up ahead of time.

• Grapeseed oil, for brushing • Sea salt flakes

• 150 g large red grapes

KOFTA

• ¼ cup buttermilk

• ½ cup fresh white breadcrumbs

• 500 g yellowfin tuna belly, trimmed 3 tsp finely grated garlic

• 3 tsp finely diced French shallot

• 3 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds 2 tsp freshly ground cumin seeds • 2 tsp sumac

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes

• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil

SOUR GARLIC SAUCE

• 125 g natural yoghurt

• 1/3 cup buttermilk

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• Sea salt flakes

• ½ bunch chives, finely sliced

For the kofta, pour the buttermilk over the breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes until the bread swells and there is no residual liquid left in the bowl.

Pass the trimmed tuna through a meat grinder on a coarse setting (or chop into a coarse mince consistency with a sharp knife). Add to the breadcrumb mixture, along with all the remaining ingredients.

Using your hands, mix everything together for about 1 minute to strengthen the mix slightly (be careful not to work it too far or the kofta will end up being too firm). Divide the mix into 12 even pieces and roll into long sausage shapes. Shape the kofta onto stainless steel skewers and store on a plate, covered, in the fridge until needed.

To make the sour garlic sauce, whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside in the fridge.

Either preheat a chargrill pan over a mediumhigh heat or a charcoal grill with evenly burntdown embers. Level out the embers so the heat is even.

Brush the kofta with a little grapeseed oil and season with salt flakes, then grill for

2-2½ minutes, turning carefully at 40-second intervals, until cooked through and nicely coloured all over. Transfer the kofta to a large serving platter and set aside to rest.

While the kofta are resting, brush the grapes with a little oil, then grill for 2 minutes or until the skins are charred and blistered, and the juices start running from the fruit.

Serve with the kofta, sour garlic sauce and your choice of dips, tabbouleh and flatbreads. •