Kafta Batata - Lebanese Dish

Kafta Batata. 

'Kafta' is the Lebanese word for meat patties, 'Batata' means potato and Kafta Batata is my favourite Lebanese dish! I first tasted it at a restaurant called Beirut in Bangkok. As meaty and satisfying as it can get, this is true comfort food that you will crave again and again.

——————————

Ingredients

——————————

For the patty

——————————

Minced meat 1/2 kg

Onions 2 Small

Za'atar powder 2 tbsp

Black pepper 1 tbsp

Salt 1 tbsp

Bunch of parsley chopped 1

For the gravy

Potatoes 3

Tomatoes 2

Tomato paste 3 tbsp

Water 3 glass

Utensils: Baking tray

——————————

Method

——————————

• In a grinder, process the minced beef.

• Add chopped onion and grind further, adding 1 tbsp water if needed.

• Now add parsley and the rest of the spices and grind further.

• Make patty-sized Kafta from this meat.

• Fry them till half-cooked and set aside.

• You can also fry a sample Kafta and test the spice level. You can add more Za'atar powder, salt or pepper.

• Take potatoes and fry them with a pinch of salt.

• When they're half-cooked, take them out and dab the excess oil.

• Take a 2-inch deep baking tray and place the sliced tomatoes, onion rings, half-cooked Kafta and layer the potatoes.

• Preheat the oven to 200^oC.

——————————

For the gravy:

——————————

• Take about 3 glasses of water and add 3-tablespoons of tomato paste. Let it boil and simmer till mixed well.

• The quantity can increase or decrease depending on the width of your baking tray.

• Pour this gravy over the layer of Kafta and Batata in the baking tray till completely covered.

• Cover the baking tray with an aluminium foil and bake at 200^oC for 20 minutes or till the gravy thickens, sliced tomatoes and onions are soft and the potatoes cooked through. This helps in combining all the flavours in the gravy.

• Serve in a deep bowl.

——————————

For the rice

——————————

• Break vermicelli into 1-inch pieces. Fry in butter till brown.

• Boil some rice.

• Mix rice with vermicelli.

EB