BOB'S KABOBS

Bob's Kabobs image

Most people think of chunks of meat on a skewer when they think of kabobs, but here I'm showing the other style of kabob, also known as kofta. Now that grilling season is upon us, this is definitely something you're going to work into the rotation. Serve with grilled pita bread and a blend of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions sprinkled with salt and olive oil, all topped with freshly chopped parsley and dried sumac.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Ground

Time 2h10m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons Aleppo chile flakes
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground sumac
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons cold water
8 bamboo skewers
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water, or as needed

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 300.6 calories, Carbohydrate 4.6 g, Cholesterol 87.2 mg, Fat 20.9 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 23 g, SaturatedFat 8.9 g, Sodium 820.3 mg, Sugar 2.3 g