Beef Kefta with Sunflower Zucchini Sauce

Meatball fans rejoice! Traditional to North African and Mediterranean cuisine, kefta are essentially large, cylindrical meatballs grilled on skewers and served with yogurt sauce. We've paired ours with fragrant veggie rice and dairy-free sunflower sauce.

Photo: Maya Visnyei

By Lisa Howard

Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 slices whole-grain bread
• 2 small yellow onions, divided
• 8 oz extra-lean ground sirloin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 egg white, lightly whisked
• 2 tsp curry powder, divided
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided
• 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 oz raw unsalted sunflower seeds

EQUIPMENT:

• 4 wooden skewers, soaked (TIP: Soak skewers in water for at least 4 hours)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook rice according to package direction. During last 10 minutes, stir in carrots.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, process bread into fine crumbs and transfer to a large bowl. With the large holes of a box grater, grate 1 onion and add to bowl. Stir in sirloin, half of garlic, egg white, 1 tsp curry powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Form into 4 equal rounds and thread each on 1 skewer; shape each into a 6-inch-long cylinder around skewer. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Chop remaining onion. In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 tsp oil on medium. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add half of lemon juice, remaining 1 tsp curry powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 4 minutes. Add remaining garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Set aside.
4. Brush a grill pan with remaining 1/4 tsp oil and heat on medium. Add skewers, trimming to fit pan, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a clean food processor, process zucchini, sunflower seeds and remaining half of lemon juice until smooth.
6. Stir onion mixture into rice and divide among plates. Top with skewers and lemon zest and serve with sauce.

BBQ OPTION: 
Skewers may also be cooked on an outdoor grill. Brush grill with olive oil, heat on medium and add skewers. Cook, turning once, until cooked through.

Nutrients per serving (1/2 cup rice mixture, 1 beef kefta, 1/4 cup sauce): Calories: 353, Total Fat: 9 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Carbs: 54 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 8 g, Protein: 20 g, Sodium: 133 mg, Cholesterol: 30 m
g