Lamb Kofte Kebabs
Lamb Kofte Kebabs always feel like a treat to me.
Juicy minced meat with a touch of onion, garlic, herbs and spices, served with good bread, salad and garlicky yogurt, never fails to please.
Cooked in a griddle pan, under the grill or on a barbecue in around 10 minutes, I think you’ll love them!
Don’t have any skewers? You can still enjoy kofte by rolling the mince into meatballs instead.
If you’re a fan of lamb already, ask your butcher for mutton: it works wonderfully too.
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KEBABS
What meat lover doesn’t like a proper kebab? Perfectly cooked, juicy meat within a slightly crusted, brown exterior. Yum!
But that’s just the start. Equally good are all those lovely things that go with it. Chewy bread, crunchy salad, plus all manner of sauces: yogurt, chilli, tahini or even (in the pic below) mint pesto.
And the great thing about kofte kebabs (or kofta if you prefer) is that, made with minced meat, they’re incredibly easy too.
LAMB OR MUTTON MINCE KEBABS
Lamb mince is perfect for kebabs. With a decent amount of fat it’s less likely to dry out before developing that temptingly charred exterior.
Actually, although I’ve called these lamb kofte kebabs, the ones you see in this post were made with minced mutton. With an even fuller flavour than good quality lamb, it goes wonderfully well with the garlic and spices.
Any decent butcher should be able to get mutton for you. I get mine locally from Dunwood Farm Butchery who source it from nearby farms like Troutsdale which I wrote about here.
The ingredients you’ll need to add to the mince are:
- a small onion
- garlic
- fresh parsley (or coriander or mint)
- ground cumin
- mild Aleppo pepper flakes or hotter dried chilli flakes
- salt and pepper
I think it’s worthwhile gently cooking the onion and garlic in olive oil before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. Not only does this make them more mellow, but it helps stick the meat mixture together.
The amount of herbs and spices I’ve given in the detailed recipe at the end of the post should give the lamb (or mutton) a lovely hint of the Middle East without being overwhelming.
But I highly recommend that before you form all the kebabs you fry a little of the meat mixture and try it. Does it need more seasoning or spice for your taste?
FORMING & COOKING LAMB KOFTE KEBABS
I should first say that if you love the sound of these kebabs but don’t have skewers, you can still enjoy them. Simply roll into meatballs and fry in a little oil.
If you have wooden skewers, pop six in some water and soak for at least thirty minutes before forming the kebabs. This should stop them burning later.
For long, sausage-shaped kebabs like those in the pictures, first divide the mixture into six pieces. Then push a skewer through one piece and use your hand to squish the meat along the length of the skewer.
To neaten, roll back and forth on a board then repeat with the rest of the meat and skewers.
At this point, you can pop the skewers in the fridge for a while and prep the rest of the meal.
These Lamb Kofte Kebabs were cooked in a griddle pan, giving those attractive char marks.
You could also cook them under a grill or on the barbecue.
A few tips:
- Brush the kebabs with a light coating of oil just before you cook them
- Turn the kebabs regularly so they get evenly cooked BUT…
- Don’t turn too soon! Wait until there’s a good sizzle otherwise the kebabs could stick
- Use tongs to turn: remember that metal skewers will be HOT
- Don’t overcook: thinnish kebabs should only take 8-10 minutes
Follow these tips and you’ll get wonderful kebabs that are juicy in the middle but have that crustily dark brown exterior that enhances flavour so much.
SERVING LAMB KOFTE KEBABS
The simplest way to eat Lamb Kofte Kebabs is in a flatbread or pitta bread with lots of fresh salad with perhaps just a squeeze of lemon.
Like this, the meaty, lightly spiced soft lamb contrasts nicely with the crunchy veg and chewy flatbread.
But I almost always add at least one sauce or dressing.
A traditional sauce for kebabs, which I’ve included in the detailed recipe card, is yogurt flavoured with garlic and salt.
Great just as it is, or you can stir in extra spices: ground cumin, black pepper, paprika or chilli flakes are all good.
For a little nuttiness, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over everything. For a touch of heat, I add flakes of mild and fruity Aleppo pepper.
If you’d like more heat, then drizzle on any chilli sauce. My fiery Harissa Dressing with roasted peppers, lots of spices including smoked paprika, would be perfect for Lamb Kofte Kebabs.
As mint is a classic partner to lamb, I wondered if my Mint Pesto would work. Wow! It was a fantastic combination alongside the yogurt.
Other sauces you could try include Tahini Dressing, Herbed Tahini Yogurt, Romesco Sauce, and Roasted Tomato Sauce.
When you’ve added your chosen extra goodies, fold up the flatbread and transfer it eagerly to your mouth.
I think you’ll love it!
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Lamb Kofte Kebabs
Juicy minced meat with a touch of onion, garlic, herbs and spices never fails to please. Serve with flatbreads, salad and garlicky yogurt. Great made with mutton mince too.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 400 g minced lamb or mutton
- 2 tbsp parsley (or coriander or mint) finely chopped
- 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes or ½ tsp hot chilli flakes
- ½-1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the garlic yogurt
- 1 clove garlic skinned
- 1 large pinch salt
- 200 g plain yogurt
- ½ tsp ground cumin optional
- ½ tsp paprika, Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes optional
- ¼ tsp black pepper optional
To serve
- flatbreads
- salad e.g. lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion
Instructions
-
If you're going to be using wooden skewers: soak them in water at least 30 minutes before cooking the kebabs to prevent them burning.
-
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over low-medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic and gently cook, stirring often, until they are softening and starting to colour (10 min)
-
Meanwhile, put the lamb or mutton mince in a large bowl with the herbs, cumin, Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes, ½ tsp of the salt, plus the black pepper.
When the onion and garlic are cooked, scrape the contents of the pan into the bowl to join the meat.
Use a rubber spoon to stir and combine the ingredients, then switch to your hands, squeezing the mixture so it becomes one smooth mass.
Optional but recommended: take a small piece of the mixture, form it into a ball and fry until cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the remaining mixture if necessary.
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Divide the mixture into 6 equal pieces.
Take a skewer and push it through one piece. Using your hand, squeeze the meat along the length of the skewer to make a cylinder.
Roll back and forth on a board to neaten the cylinder.
Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Can be stored in the fridge for a few hours until needed.
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Heat a griddle pan or your grill to high.
Brush the kebabs with a little more oil then place in the hot pan or under the grill.
Cook, turning often, until the kebabs are browned on the outside and cooked all the way through (8-10 min). Turn the temperature down if browning too quickly.
Can also be cooked on a barbecue.
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Serve with the flatbreads, salad and garlic yogurt.
Garlic yogurt
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Roughly chop the garlic then sprinkle with the salt.
Using the flat side of a knife, squash together the garlic and salt until you have smoothish paste.
Put the paste in a bowl or jug then whisk in the yogurt.
Whisk in any of the optional extra seasonings.
Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
(Keeps for 2 days).
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