Lebanese kofte recipe

Makes 8 | Hands-on time 15 min, grilling time 10 min, plus chilling | Easy

Serve these spicy, marinated lamb koftes with a cooling tahini yogurt dip, toasted pittas and some sharp pickles for a quick Lebanese meal.

Nutritional info per serving

Calories 240kcals
Fat 15.4g (6.6g saturated)
Protein 20.7g
Carbohydrates 3.9g (2.4g sugars)
Fibre 1.6g
Salt 0.2g

INGREDIENTS

2 red onions, halved
400g British lamb mince, around 20% fat
400g British beef mince
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Large handful fresh parsley leaves, very finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger

Serving suggestions

Garlic yogurt tahini dip
Scorched green chillies
Shredded white cabbage
Chilli sauce
Toasted pittas
Lemon wedges

METHOD

01. Put the red onions in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Tip out into a sieve lined with a clean J-cloth over the sink. Bring the cloth around the onions and squeeze to extract and discard as much liquid as possible (wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the smell). Put the squeezed-out onions in a large mixing bowl, then add all the other ingredients and a good amount of seasoning (we used a scant teaspoon of salt). Mix well with your hands for 2-3 minutes, kneading the mince to break up its structure a bit.

02. Divide the mince mixture equally into 8, then mould into sausage shapes around 8 long metal or soaked bamboo skewers. Cover and chill until needed (at least 1 hour).

03. Heat the grill to high. Lightly oil a large, foil-lined baking tray and lay the kebabs on it. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until completely cooked through in the middle and a little charred outside. Serve with your choice of sides.

Tips

Don’t be tempted to use super-lean mince, as it may not cling to the skewers properly and the kebabs will be dry once they’re cooked. You can griddle these kebabs if you prefer, or cook them on the barbecue, using the timings stated in the recipe.

Make Ahead

You can prepare the mince 24 hours ahead and keep covered in the fridge, but omit the salt so it doesn’t toughen the meat. When ready to cook, add the salt and mix well before shaping.