Let’s try something definitely “middle eastern”! Some kebab! Nothing fancy about it! Just some classic good ol’ kebab! The yoghurt-tahini sauce was something new for me: it was smooth and really matched the taste well. Everything served on a pitta bread (flat bread) – I used a tortilla bread… don’t judge me!
Ingredients
- 600 g ground beef (10–20% fat) or half beef/half lamb
- 1 small onion, grated (squeeze out excess liquid)
- 3 cloves garlic, grated/minced
- 1 packed cup parsley (or parsley + coriander), finely chopped
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves or allspice (optional)
- 1 tsp baharat (optional but great)
- 1 tbsp sumac (optional, nice tang)
- 1 egg (optional, helps binding)
- Optional heat: pinch chili flakes or ½ tsp cayenne
Steps
- Mix: combine everything thoroughly (hands work best) for 2–3 minutes until the mixture turns sticky.
- Chill 20–30 minutes (helps it hold on skewers).
- Shape: form around metal skewers into long kebabs (or make small logs/patties if no skewers). Wet hands help.
- Grill over medium-high heat on lightly oiled grates: 3–4 minutes per side, turning gently, until browned and cooked through.
- Rest 2 minutes, then serve.
Serve with
- Tahini-yogurt sauce: ½ cup yogurt + 2 tbsp tahini + 1 tbsp lemon + salt; thin with a splash of water.
- Quick salad: tomato + cucumber + red onion + lemon + olive oil + sumac.
- Flatbread or rice; extra lemon wedges
Notes
- Metal skewers work best! If using wooden skewers: soak 30 minutes and double them up for stability.
- Don’t move them too early—let the first side brown before turning.
- Use mince with some fat (10–20%). Very lean mince dries out and can break
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