Description
Kofta Kebab is a classic Eastern Mediterranean dish featuring ground lamb and beef mixed with aromatic spices, shaped onto skewers, and grilled to juicy perfection. It's a flavorful and hearty kebab that's perfect for grilling enthusiasts and lovers of Middle Eastern cuisine.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound fresh ground lamb
- 1 pound fresh 80/20 ground beef
Spices and Aromatics
- 1 small onion, grated or finely minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until completely mixed, ensuring the spices and aromatics are evenly distributed throughout the ground meat mixture.
- Preheat Grill: Set the grill for direct medium heat at approximately 350°F. For gas grills, preheat all burners on high for 15 minutes, then reduce to medium and clean the grates with a grill brush. For charcoal grills, light a chimney of charcoal until covered in white ash and spread evenly across the grill bottom.
- Form Kofta Kebabs: Divide the meat mixture into eight equal portions. Take one portion and mold it around the bottom of a skewer, squeezing and spreading upward to form a tube about 1½ inches thick. Dimple the surface about every inch using your fingers to create texture.
- Grill Kebabs: Place the kebabs on the grill over direct medium heat. Cook until browned and firm on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for another 5 minutes until cooked through and nicely charred.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the kebabs from the grill carefully as the skewers will be hot. Let the koftas rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- The red pepper flakes are optional, and you can adjust their quantity to control spiciness.
- If skewers are wooden, soak them in water for 30 minutes before use to prevent burning.
- For smoky flavor, consider using charcoal grilling over gas grilling.
- Resting the kebabs after grilling improves juiciness and flavor.
- You can substitute ground beef or lamb with other ground meats based on preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 311 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 537 mg
- Fat: 24.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 19.4 g
- Cholesterol: 82 mg
