Lamb Kofta Kebabs

Oooh, these are so tasty.  So apparently koftas are part of Albanian, Afghan, Azerbaijani, Arab, Armenian, Balkan, Bangladeshi, Greek, Indian, Israeli, Irania, Kurdish, Pakistani AND Turkish cuisine in some form or another.  They can be lamb, beef, pork or chicken or some mix of meats, seasoned with lots of spices and shaped into small meatballs.  In some places like Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan, they are served with a spicy gravy and a dry version (like the one here) are just called kebabs.  So I'm not exactly sure what type of Kofta this is, but regardless, it is delicious.

Lamb Kofta Kebabs

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1 pound ground lamb
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Grilled flatbread (naan, pita, or other flatbread)
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Tzatziki sauce (recipe below - although for the record, I always just buy premade tzatziki sauce from Sprouts or Whole Foods)

Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear mixture to a coarse paste. Mix the paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt with the meat, onion, parsley, and spices until well blended.

Form the mixture into 28 balls. Mold each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tzatziki, flat bread, lettuce and tomatoes.


Tzatziki Sauce

2 cups plain whole milk yogurt or 1 cup Middle Eastern-style plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
If you're using plain whole milk yogurt, line a small sieve with a coffee filter. Put the yogurt in it, set it over a bowl, and refrigerate 12 hours. Discard the expressed liquid and put yogurt in the bowl.
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into another bowl. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons salt and rub into the cucumber with your hands. Set aside 20 minutes, then squeeze the cucumbers to express as much liquid as possible.

Smash the garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Stir the cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and mint into the yogurt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipes adapted from Food Network.