Chef Johns Kofta Kebabs Recipes

Steps:

• Mash the garlic into a paste with the salt using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife on your cutting board. Mix the garlic into the lamb along with the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Form the mixture into 28 balls. Form each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

Steps:

• Combine cumin, coriander, Aleppo chile flakes, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Use your spoon to push off about 1/3 of the spice blend to the side.
• Place ground lamb in a mixing bowl and add 2/3 of the spice blend along with 2 tablespoons cold water. Mix with by hand until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• While meat is chilling, place bamboo skewers in water to soak for 1 hour.
• Remove meat from the refrigerator and roll into 8 equal-sized meatballs using slightly damp hands. Skewer each meatball through the center and shape into an oval, about 3 inches long. Use your fingers to taper each end of the kabob down to a point where it meets the skewer. Place on a plate and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes, or until ready to grill.
• Whisk Greek yogurt, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water together in a bowl until smooth and combined. Refrigerate until serving.
• Stir sumac into the remaining 1/3 spice blend. Remove kabobs from the refrigerator and sprinkle spices on top.
• Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill to medium-high heat.
• Grill kabobs over charcoal, turning occasionally, until browned and firm, 10 to 12 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a kabob should read at least 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Serve with yogurt sauce.