Beef and Lamb Kafta Kebab
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground lamb, beef, or a mix (or other ground meat of choice, note the advice above); choose a cut with 15% fat minimum
1 bunch parsley, stems removed & finely minced (~50g)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole medium yellow onion
2.5 TBSP Baharat Lebanese spice(below)
Baharat 7 spice: 2 Tbsp cumin,4 tsp coriander,4tsp cinnamon,4 tsp black pepper,1 Tbsp mace,2 tsp clover,2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
Optional: 1/2 tsp Indian red chili powder; can sub with Cayenne pepper ((I always add a 1/2 tsp Indian chili powder but can omit if you don’t want it to have a spicy kick; can increase to 1 tsp or more to taste, for a hotter version)
1/2 lemon to squeeze on meat after cooking
Salt & pepper to taste when serving
Suggested: remove from the grill and place atop large flatbreads (such as Lavash or Naan) or pitas to soak up the juices, then break off pieces to make small wraps with pieces of the meat, along with my Greek salad and Tzatziki sauce. Or serve in pitas with tahini, hummus.
Directions:
1.) Prepare all the ingredients as indicated. Then combine in bowl with the meat, Mix thoroughly for several minutes, so that the spices are evenly mixed in.
2.) Divide the meat into 4 equal parts and roll each into a ball (each about 100-115 grams). For thin skewers: Shape the meat into a cylinder and press it down over the kebab, piercing the meat in the middle. With a gripping motion of the whole hand, work the meat downwards until it is evenly pressed. For wide skewers: Shape into a cylinder and place onto the upper end of the skewer in a sideways motion, pressing the meat over the cut that’s formed along its side. (Make sure the skewers are clean and free of grease.)
3.) Using the (suggested) bowl of water, keep your hands wet and firmly press the meat in a downwards motion until an even strip of meat is compacted onto the skewer. You may use your whole hand or pinch the meat between the thumb, forefinger and middle finger every 1/2″ or so. Flip the skewer and go back over the meat with this motion, to ensure it is firmly stuck to the skewers. Try to make sure the ends of the meat are pinched off so that there is no opening into the cavity.
4.) Bring the grill to a very high heat and place the kebabs over the open flame. For the first minute or so, frequently turn the kebabs, as much as once every ten seconds. After this time, turning every 30 seconds or so for the remainder of the cooking is recommended. Cook until meat is nicely charred but not burnt. Depending on the thickness of the meat, and the design and temperature of the grill, this usually takes anywhere from 4-8 minutes.
5,) Once the meat is cooked through, pull off skewers one by one, first pulling a bit from the top and then pushing from the bottom to remove it. It can be placed directly on a plate, or atop some flatbreads or pita which will soak up some of the juices.
6.) Squeezing a half lime or lemon all over the meat at this stage adds a great balance and pop of flavor. You may also lightly season with a few dashes of salt and pepper.
