Kofta (Middle Eastern Meat Skewers)
🇱🇧 Lebanon · Levant
Ingredients
- 4 lbs ground beef or lamb (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio if using beef only)
- 2 medium onions, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon baharat (Middle Eastern spice blend)
- 1 hot dog bun or 1 slice white bread
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
Steps
- Grate the onions and place in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Press firmly to extract the juice, reserving both the juice and the onion pulp.
- Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the reserved onion juice (or water) over it and let soak for 3–4 minutes until soft.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onion pulp, salt, black pepper, baharat, parsley, and flour.
- Squeeze excess liquid from the soaked bread and add it to the meat mixture.
- Mix everything by hand until well combined and the mixture becomes slightly paste-like.
- Shape into 2-tablespoon balls, or mold around skewers into long finger shapes, wetting your hands with leftover onion juice as needed.
- Bake the kofta in the oven until fully cooked through.
- Alternatively, finish on a grill until browned and cooked through.
Notes
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend typically containing black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Kofta can be baked or grilled depending on preference.
Source: amiraspantry.com