Equipment
Ingredients
Kofta
- 500 g lamb mince
- 1 red onion, grated
- 3 garlic, minced
- 8 g ground cumin
- 8 g ground coriander
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 15 g fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 10 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
Yogurt Sauce
- 200 g plain greek yogurt, chilled
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 g kosher salt
Serving
- 4 flatbread
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Grate the red onion using a box grater. Transfer the grated onion to a fine mesh sieve set over a sink or bowl and press down firmly to extract and discard as much juice as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained red onion, lamb mince, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, fresh mint, fresh coriander, kosher salt, and black pepper. Knead the mixture vigorously with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes slightly tacky and the proteins begin to bind together.
Cover the bowl and place the lamb mixture in the refrigerator to chill. This allows the flavors to meld and the fat to firm up, making it much easier to shape.
Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and divide it into 12 equal portions. Take one portion at a time and mold it tightly around a skewer into a long, uniform sausage shape.
While the koftas rest, prepare the yogurt sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, and kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the shaped koftas lightly with olive oil. Grill the skewers, turning every few minutes, until they develop a dark brown crust on all sides and reach a safe internal temperature of 71°C/160°F.
Warm the flatbreads briefly in the residual heat of the grill pan or a toaster. Serve the hot koftas immediately over the warm flatbread alongside the chilled yogurt sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Using lamb mince with an adequate fat content (ideally around 20 percent) is crucial for succulent koftas. Lean meat will dry out quickly under the high heat of a grill.
- Kneading the meat mixture until tacky is a professional technique that develops the myosin proteins. This acts as a natural binder, ensuring a cohesive texture without the need for eggs or breadcrumbs.
- If using bamboo skewers instead of metal, ensure they are soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes before shaping the meat to prevent them from burning and breaking on the grill.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast your whole cumin and coriander seeds in a dry skillet before grinding them. The heat awakens the essential oils in the spices.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store koftas, yogurt sauce, and flatbread in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze raw or cooked koftas only. Yogurt sauce and flatbread do not freeze well together.
