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Grilled Lamb Koftas

Spiced minced lamb moulded onto skewers, the Middle Eastern cousin of the Turkish kebab. The trick is kneading the mince until it is tacky so it grips the skewer.

Grilled Lamb Koftas
The short answer

Mix minced lamb with grated onion juice, cumin, coriander, parsley and mint. Knead until tacky, rest an hour, mould onto flat skewers and cook over a hot bed 5 to 6 minutes, turning. Done at 70°C (160°F).

The fire

Hot even bed, skewers on the rails so the meat hangs clear.

Direct heat

Method

  1. Use fatty lamb

    Around 20 percent fat, from the shoulder. Lean lamb makes a dry, crumbly kofta that will not hold on the skewer.

  2. Onion juice, not onion

    Grate the onion and squeeze the juice into the meat, discarding the wet pulp. You want the flavour without the water, which stops the mix binding.

  3. Knead until it grips

    Combine everything and knead firmly for five minutes until the mix turns tacky and clings to the bowl. That protein development is what keeps it on the skewer. Rest in the fridge for an hour.

  4. Mould onto skewers

    Wet your hands and press the mix into sausage shapes along wide flat skewers, squeezing to grip. Wide skewers stop them rotating and dropping off.

  5. Cook hot and turn

    Over a hot bed, resting on the rails so the meat hangs clear of any grate. Five to six minutes, turning to colour all sides. Pull at 70°C (160°F).

Notes worth knowing

  • If the mix will not hold, it is too lean or was not kneaded enough. Knead more and chill harder.
  • Serve in warm flatbread with yoghurt, sumac onions and grilled tomato.
  • The same mix makes excellent burgers if you would rather not skewer.

Common questions

What is the difference between kofta and Adana kebab?

They are close relatives. Adana is Turkish, hotter, and traditionally uses lamb tail fat. Kofta is the broader Middle Eastern version, often with more herbs and warm spices like cumin and cinnamon.

Can I use beef?

Yes, or a mix of lamb and beef. Keep the fat content high or the koftas will be dry and crumbly.

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