Lamb Kafta Food

LAMB KOFTA WITH LABNEH DIP

Steps:

• Make the meatballs: Mix the lamb and beef with the onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup water, the parsley, mint, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the paprika, cumin, sumac, allspice and a few grinds of pepper until just combined. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 20).
• Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dip: Mix the labneh with the lemon juice in a bowl; season with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sumac. Transfer the meatballs to a platter and sprinkle with mint. Serve with the dip.

GRILLED LAMB KOFTA KEBABS WITH PISTACHIOS AND SPICY SALAD WRAP

Steps:

• Place the lamb in a food processor with most of the thyme, chili, cumin and sumac (reserving a little of each for sprinkling over later), a little salt and pepper and all the pistachios. Put the lid on and keep pulsing until the mixture looks like ground meat.
• Divide the meat into 4 equal pieces and get yourself 4 skewers. With damp hands, push and shape the meat around and along each skewer. Press little indents in the meat with your fingers as you go - this will give it a better texture when cooked.
• In a bowl, mix the salad leaves and mint. In another bowl, combine the sliced onion with a good pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice (the acidity will take the edge off and lightly pickle the raw onion). Scrunch this all together with your hands, then mix in the parsley leaves.
• Grill the kebabs until nicely golden on all sides. Dress your salad leaves and mint with a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Meanwhile, warm the flatbreads for 30 seconds on the griddle pan or under the broiler, then divide between plates and top each with some dressed salad leaves and onion. When your kebabs are cooked, slip them off their skewers onto the flatbreads - you can leave them whole or break them up as I've done here. Sprinkle with the rest of the sumac, cumin, chili and fresh thyme, and a little salt and pepper. Now either toss the salads, grilled meat and juices together on top of the flatbreads and drizzle with some of the yogurt before rolling up and serving; or let your friends toss theirs together at the table, then dress and roll up their own, drizzled with some extra-virgin olive oil.
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KOFTA KABOBS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, put the ground meat, flattened in the bowl, add all the ingredients. Knead for at least 5 minutes until all is well mixed. Let the kofta rest for 20 to 30 minutes in a cool place to marinate.
• Wet your hand with water. Take the kofta and make a big cigar. Put on a long skewer, in the center. Repeat skewering until done. Cook over a charcoal grill. Serve hot.

LEBANESE LAMB KEFTA (LAMB KABOBS)

Steps:

• Combine onion, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, mint, salt, 7 spice blend and egg in a bowl. Add lamb and mix well.
• Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape each portion around a skewer, forming a log that is about 2 inched wide and 6 inches long. Slightly flatten it so that the center will cook well.
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and grill skewers for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness. Serve immediately with pita bread, hummus and tabuleh.
• *For the Lebanese 7 spice blend: mix equal parts of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, fenugreek and ground dry ginger. Mix well and store in an air tight container.