I don’t recall where I got the inspiration for these delicious Middle Eastern kebabs. I’m always looking out for new recipes so it was probably in a magazine or surfing the internet. In any case, grilled kofta is now one of my favorite dishes. And, always a plus, they are really quite easy to put together. Kofta consists of minced meat, usually lamb or beef that is well-spiced and very savory. The meat can be made into patties or meatballs, or put on skewers and grilled above a hot fire.
When I mention well-spiced, I don’t mean spicy hot, but exceptionally flavorful. Ground coriander, sumac, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin all contribute to making the finished kebab one that is so tasty and well seasoned.
Many recipes call for grating the onion however I enjoy seeing the little bits of finely minced onion in the meat mixture along with the bulgur and fresh herbs.
The first few times we grilled the meat on wide wooden skewers. The only downside is that the skewers burn quickly though a foil shield does help. Since this recipe will now be on our regular rotation list, we splurged and purchased wide metal skewers through Amazon. The stainless steel skewers are 5/8″ wide which helps to keep the meat from “spinning” as they cook. If you use wooden skewers, use flat, wide ones. I also feel that wrapping the meat around the skewer and pinching it together at the seam, rather than poking the skewer into the meat, helps to keep the meat from loosening up when grilling.
Notice the kofta are not placed directly on the grill surface but suspended just above the grates. I learned this technique from Homa’s Persian Mama blog. Apparently this mimics the traditional technique of cooking the skewered meat over an open fire. My husband bought 2 stainless steel pipes from the hardware store that fit perfectly on the grill grates. The pipes and new metal skewers were made for one another as you can see above. I noticed that many recipes call for grilling the kofta directly on the grates so feel free to do just that if you don’t have the tools to cook the kofta as we did. Just watch them closely so they don’t burn.
The kofta are always so juicy even when using lean ground sirloin. Lots of minced onion, a bit of bulgur and an egg keep the meat perfectly moist.
Serve a simple tahini sauce with your grilled kofta. Stuff the kofta along with crunchy cucumbers and fresh mint into a warm pita and drizzle in some tahini sauce.
I made some fresh pitas one morning to go along with the kofta. Homemade pitas are so much fresher than the ones I find at the market on Maui. But in a pinch, store-bought pitas are fine once warmed up.
- For the Kofta
- 1 pound ground sirloin or lean ground beef
- ¼ cup soaked bulgur (soak bulgur in hot water for 30 minutes, drain well, measure ¼ cup)
- ½ cup very finely minced onion
- 1 medium garlic clove finely minced
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want a spicy kofta)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground sumac (optional)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the Tahini Sauce
- 6 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- dash of cayenne pepper
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
- sumac or cayenne for topping (optional)
- If using wooden skewers, soak 8 in water for 30 minutes.
- Mix all ingredients together for tahini sauce. If it is too thick add a bit of water to thin it out. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Combine all of the kofta ingredients in a large bowl. Mix gently to combine all ingredients.
- Divide mixture in 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into a 5-inch sausage shape and flatten until 2-inches wide and about ½-inch thick. Press skewer into the center forming meat around the skewer. Pinch seams together and firmly reshape the meat to ensure it fits snugly on the skewer. Shape the meat so that it is flat rather than round. Using your thumb and index finger make indentations in the meat every inch from top to bottom. The ridges in the meat help it to cook evenly and quickly.
- When you are ready to grill the kofta, heat the gas grill to high. Grill the kofta suspended above the grates for 3 minutes, then turn over and continue to grill until cooked through. Check the kofta now and then when grilling to ensure they are not burning, turning as needed.
- Serve kofta with warm pita bread or saffron rice along with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, assorted olives, shredded lettuce, fresh mint and tahini sauce.
