Situated on the shores of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, Turkey’s long coastline and varied weather conditions mean it has a wide variety of fresh produce, fish, meat and spices.
These tasty kebabs are typical of the hotter south-eastern region of the country where there is a long history of cooking meat on skewers. They are easy to make, great to barbecue and go well with the Greek Salad, Pitta Bread and Tzatziki recipe available on our website.
Ingredients
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic
Small bunch (10-20g) parsley
750g minced lamb
1 x 5ml spoon chilli powder
Ground black pepper (optional)
Vegetable oil (for brushing)
Equipment
Griddle pan (if using hob)
Wooden skewers x 10
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Large mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Large spoon or spatula
Pastry brush
Instructions
- Light a charcoal barbecue 40 minutes ahead of cooking (10 minutes for a gas barbecue) or turn on a grill 5 minutes before cooking. If using a cast-iron griddle pan, heat it over a high heat, then lower the heat slightly before cooking.
- Cover the skewers with cold water and leave them to soak for a few minutes.
- Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Wash the parsley and chop it as finely as you can.
- Place the onions, garlic and parsley in a large mixing bowl and add your minced lamb, chilli powder and black pepper to taste (if using). Mix together with your hands or a spoon/spatula until bound together.
- Divide the mixture into 10 portions and mould it into long sausage shapes around the skewers. Wash your hands after touching the raw meat.
- Brush the kofta with oil and lightly oil the bars of the barbecue or griddle. Cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through.
Skills used include:
Washing, measuring, peeling, chopping, mixing/combining and grilling.
Top Tips
- If you have time, chill the prepared kebabs in the fridge before cooking as it helps them to stick together better.
Something to try next time
- Why not try adding 25g of finely chopped dried apricots or sundried tomatoes at step 4?
- For extra flavour add 2 x 5ml spoons of baharat (Middle Eastern spice mix) or a mixture of the following dried ground spices – paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom at step 4.
Prepare now, eat later
- The kebabs can be prepared to step 5 up to 1 day in advance. Cover and keep in the fridge before grilling.
- Chill any leftover cooked kebabs and use within 1 day. Reheat in a preheated oven at 180˚C/160˚C fan or gas mark 4 for 10 minutes or until sizzling hot. Only reheat once and eat straight away.
