Chef Johns Kofta Kebabs Food

KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• Mash the garlic into a paste with the salt using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife on your cutting board. Mix the garlic into the lamb along with the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Form the mixture into 28 balls. Form each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• For the tzatziki sauce: Strain Greek yogurt through a paper-towel lined colander and let sit for 3 hours to thicken, refrigerated.
• Fold the yogurt with cucumbers, fresh lemon juice, mint, crushed garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the harissa sauce: Char red bell peppers over an open flame, then remove seeds and clean the skin.
• Boil Fresno chiles in salted water in a pot on medium heat until the vegetables start to soften. Drain, then deseed and remove the membranes of the chiles.
• Toast cumin seeds, coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet until fragrant. Crush the toasted spices in a spice grinder with mint and salt until finely ground.
• Blend the spice mixture with the roasted red bell peppers, Fresno chiles, vegetable oil, garlic and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil while blending.
• For the tahini sauce: Blend tahini, water, lemon juice, salt and garlic.
• For the kebabs: Mix ground beef, allspice, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, garlic, onion and parsley in a bowl by hand, then refrigerate overnight.
• Form the mixture into 4 to 6 balls, then put each on a metal skewer. Lengthen the meat into elongated kebab shapes and grill over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Warm the pita with a little butter and swipe with the tzatziki sauce. Top with the kebab, then squirt with tahini sauce and harissa sauce.

TURKISH CHICKEN KEBABS

Steps:

• Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Place chicken thigh halves into the yogurt marinade and coat them thoroughly on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Using 2 skewers for each kebab, thread half of the chicken thighs onto each pair of skewers making a fairly thick "log" shape.
• Place kebabs on grill. Do not try to turn them until they begin to unstick from the grill, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn kebabs and grill the other side 3 or 4 minutes; turn. Continue cooking and turning until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GRILLED KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• For the kofta: Place 16 to 20 wooden skewers in a container of water and press down to make sure they're fully submerged, then soak for at least 1 hour.
• Grate the onion into a large bowl. Tear the bread into pieces and add it to the grated onion. Add the milk and mix to make sure that the bread is fully soaked. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Discard any excess liquid in the bowl (if there is any). Add the beef and lamb and mix into the bread mixture with your hands. Add the parsley, allspice, cumin, paprika, salt, sumac, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper and garlic and mix to combine until the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the yogurt sauce: Mix the yogurt with the lemon juice, salt, garlic and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl until smooth and combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
• Divide the meat mixture into 16 to 20 pieces and roll each piece into a cylinder. Press a skewer into each cylinder and shape the mixture around the skewer, making it about 1 inch thick. Place the skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the kofta until nicely grill-marked and just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve with the yogurt sauce, warm pita, tomatoes, parsley and onions.

MOHAMED'S KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients, except the yogurt and pita, in a large bowl; refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
• To grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high; clean and oil the grates. Working close to the grill, form about 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a ball. While turning the skewer (this helps the mixture stick), skewer the ball, flattening it to a 3-inch-long oval tapered at the ends. Pinch well on the ends to attach the kebabs to the skewer. Add more balls to the skewer, if you like, and place the skewers on the grill as you go. Cook until they are browned and still have a slight give in the center, turning twice, 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• To bake: Preheat the oven to 375° and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Place the kofta on skewers as described above. Or, form into balls of the same shape, place on the prepared pan and bake until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. If you like, finish under the broiler until golden, about 3 minutes.
• To serve: Serve the kofta right away with yogurt for dipping and pita bread.