I’ve made this dish as an appetiser for countless parties, and it never fails to steal the show. The tender, perfectly spiced koftas pair so beautifully with the cool, creamy minted yoghurt that each bite feels like a burst of flavour in your mouth. It’s one of those dishes that has everyone coming back for seconds. And the best part? No one ever realises it’s low-FODMAP. So, let’s keep this secret between us.
Beef koftas with pita bread and minted yoghurt
Nut free, soy free
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
• lemon wedges, to serve
Koftas
• 500g minced (ground) beef
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 1 tbsp Napoli sauce* or tomato paste (concentrated purée)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 egg
Pita breads
• 250g plain flour of your choice (see Tips)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if using regular flour)
• 2½ tbsp canola oil
Minted yoghurt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, plus extra shredded mint to serve
• ½ cup yoghurt of your choice (see Tips)
• 1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
*Napoli sauce
Dairy free, egg free, gluten free, lactose free, nut free, soy free
Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: about 3 cups (750g)
• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
• Put the tinned tomatoes in a blender and blitz until smooth, or use a hand-held blender. Add to a saucepan with all the other ingredients and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week or in portions in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the koftas and mix until well combined. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment – just be sure to use a low speed to avoid over-mixing. Form the mixture into large balls of approximately 1 heaped tablespoon per ball (see Tips). Place the koftas on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
For the pita bread, combine all the ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl. Add the oil with ¾ cup (185ml) water and mix until combined. Divide the dough into four equal portions and roll into balls. If you’re using regular wheat flour, rest the dough for about 30 minutes before rolling the balls out into discs of about 1cm thick. Heat a dry, non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry the pita breads, one by one, for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Finally, to make the minted yoghurt, add the mint to the yoghurt with the sugar (if using) and mix well to combine. Serve the koftas inside the warm bread, topped with some minted yoghurt, extra shredded mint and a squeeze of lemon.
Tips
• I have made these pita breads using both gluten-free and regular flour, and they work well either way, so use whatever you have on hand or can tolerate.
• Use whatever yoghurt you like, but this recipe does work best with dairy as opposed to non-dairy yoghurt, as non-dairy yoghurts have a different and often stronger flavour.
• You can make the koftas into smaller, bite-sized balls and take them to parties as an appetiser with the minted yoghurt as a dipping sauce.
Chicken noodle soup
Is there a more comforting soup than chicken noodle? While this is not 100% traditional, the essence is still there and it is bound to bring back nostalgic memories of warming soup on winter days. Serve with crusty bread for maximum comfort.
Dairy, egg, gluten, lactose, nut, soy free
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 8 cups (2 litres) water or low-FODMAP chicken stock*
• 5 low-fodmap chicken stock cubes (omit if using chicken stock)
• ½ tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp dried chives
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 300g skinless chicken breast, cut into 2cm-thick strips
• 190g carrot, cut into 1cm dice
• 190g zucchini (courgette), cut into 1cm dice
• 85g vermicelli rice noodles
• salt and black pepper, to taste
*Low-FODMAP chicken stock
Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 3 hours
Makes: 4 cups (1 litre)
• 1 kg chicken carcass
• 200g carrot, quartered
• 50g fennel
• 50g fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 40g spring onion tops, green parts only
• 2 tsp dried or fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp apple-cider vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
• Add all the ingredients to a stockpot and cover with cold water, about 2cm above the ingredients. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, discarding any foam that forms on the surface, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 hours. If it bubbles too rapidly, it will reduce the liquid too much and the stock will be murky instead of nice and clear, so keep an eye on it and top up the water if needed. Drain through a sieve or colander into a large bowl or pot to catch all the beautiful stock. Allow the stock to cool slightly before portioning (if not using right away). I find it’s easiest to store this in one-cup quantities. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in portions in the freezer for up to 3 months. If using in soups or hot meals, simply add from frozen or defrost in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Method
To a stockpot, add the water and stock cubes (or chicken stock), garlic oil, dried herbs and turmeric and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken breast and poach in the liquid for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. Add the carrot and zucchini to the stock and simmer until softened, about 5 – 10 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, shred the cooked chicken, either by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and turn off the heat. Break up the rice noodles into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot to cook in the residual heat. Once the noodles are cooked, after 3-5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve straight away or store in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For best results, allow the frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge and heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to heat evenly. Add a little water, if necessary, to achieve your desired consistency.
An edited extract from Always Delicious Low-FODMAP Kitchen by Chrissy Glentis (Murdoch Books, RRP $45).
