One of the first food aromas you’ll notice in Lebanon is that of kofte kebabs grilling over charcoal, the savoury smell of the lamb mixing with the fragrant, aromatic Lebanese spices used for this simple but tasty meal. Kofte are really easy to make at home, just like making your own burgers but a different shape. They can be cooked either under the grill, in a heavy skillet or, best of all, on the barbecue. They are spiced with our Lebanese Kofte blend, with spices carefully selected to bring out the best in this recipe. Your kofte can be served with rice or couscous and salad, or with warm pitta bread and hummus.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
01.
Ingredients
500g minced lamb
1 small Onion, very finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
Good handful Flatleaf Parsley, chopped (or 1tbs dried Parsley)
4tsp Lebanese Kofte Blend
1tbs Lemon Juice
Salt/Pepper to taste
Bamboo Skewers
Sumac for sprinkling (optional)
02.
Method
Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl – this can be done in a food processor if you like, but we prefer just doing it with our hands in the bowl. Knead the mixture for a while like you would bread dough, this will break down the texture of the minced lamb and help your kofte stay together better. If you find your mix is a bit wet, you can add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs to take up the moisture. When thoroughly mixed, leave the kofte mix to stand for a while in the fridge. When you are ready to cook your kofte, shape them into short, fat sausage shapes. You can slide these onto bamboo skewers (make sure you soak the skewer in water to stop it burning) if you have them, or just cook them as they are. They will take 10 minutes or so to cook on a barbecue or grill; make sure you turn them frequently, and make sure the kofte are thoroughly cooked through. While cooking, you can sprinkle the kofte with some more lemon juice or even better, with sumac. Serve the kofte immediately.
