My night at the Lebanese restaurant will be deeply ingrained in my memory. I imagined that things had the potential to take a nasty turn, but how wrong I was! Instead, it unfolded as an unforgettable meal, especially the lamb kofta kebab. It all went something like this:
It was a dark and stormy night in Austin, Texas when my spouse and I began to feel hunger for some delightful Middle Eastern food. We then decided to take a chance to explore and entered into a new local restaurant here.
Upon arriving, the amiable owner, a woman of Lebanese descent, welcomed us and invited us to sit in the cozy and comfortable atmosphere complete with dim lighting and shadows that delicately played on artwork indicating Middle Eastern culture.
We wanted to give the lamb kofta kebab a try, following the owner’s recommendation. The meat was deliciously spiced, grilled to perfection, and bursting with tender juices. Accompanied by some fluffy rice and a refreshing salad, it was a satisfying meal that blew us away!
Just as we were about to dig in, disaster struck. The lights suddenly went out, plunging the restaurant into darkness. It was a power outage, and the restaurant had to temporarily close.
The owner of the restaurant was keen to ensure that our evening remained enjoyable, so she lit some candles and set up a portable stove without further delay to complete cooking our kebabs despite the power outage. She remained determined despite the setback so that nothing would ruin our night.
We struck up a conversation with the owner while we waited, hearing stories of her emigration and as a restaurateur in Austin. It was she who shared her cherished family recipes in way of authentic Lebanese cuisine with the city; something which brought her much pleasure.
Finally, after an overly long time had passed, our kebabs were prepared. The result completely lived up to the anticipation; the mouth-watering taste of the tender lamb was further accentuated by the dimly lit atmosphere. Quite frankly, it all added up to a romantic meal.
As we departed the restaurant, immensely thankful for the proprietor’s resoluteness and cordiality, we asked if she would be willing to impart her recipe for the savory lamb kofta kebabs. We simply had to know this mouth-watering secret!
We were extremely happy when the owner agreed to tell us the recipe for the delicious meal we had just enjoyed. She walked us through how to replicate it at home, so with full bellies and newfound knowledge, we left the restaurant that night feeling satisfied.
That night, I am sure to always remember: from the tasty lamb kofta kebab produced by a Lebanese cook in Austin, Texas to the unexpected difficulties with our power outage and the kindness evinced around me. An amazing amalgamation of elements!
So here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
1. Mince lamb with 10-15%+ fat for moisture and binding.
2. Yellow onion (or shallots)
3. Fresh parsley
4. Lebanese 7-spice, salt, and pepper
Optional ingredients:
1. Mince beef (10%+ fat) or lamb/beef mix.
2. Cinnamon
3. Cayenne or chili powder for extra heat.
Note: Some recipes of this lamb kofta may also contain a pinch of cinnamon and/or chili sauce for stronger flavor and heat.
How to make Lamb Kofta Kebab?
1. Finely chop onion and parsley in a food chopper or processor, and blend the two ingredients until they become soft. The result should be a homogeneous mass. But, should there be too much moisture from the processed onion, go ahead and lightly squeeze it out. Afterward, incorporate the remaining elements. Mix all of these with the kofta meat together.
2. Chill the lamb kofta mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then, divide the mixture into 3-3.5 oz/85-100 g portions and firmly press the shaped sausage onto skewers – 1 inch thick. That way, you can have ready-to-cook kofta kebabs. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before making kebabs; this will ensure the kebabs cook evenly and prevent them from burning. When shaping the kebabs, dip your hands in water to stop the mixture from sticking. To get an even cooking, shape each one carefully to get evenly sized kebabs,
Grilling: Cook the kebabs over a pre-heated and oiled grill or charcoal BBQ for roughly 6-8 minutes on each side to obtain a medium level of doneness, or up to 10 minutes for well-done. You should be able to see browning and cook the middle all the way through.
Pan-frying: Heat a grill pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Place the kebabs in, pan-frying them for several minutes before flipping and proceeding to uniformly cook both sides.
Baking: Kebabs, which should be placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly oiled, can be roasted in the oven at 350°F/175°C for around 15 to 20 minutes until they are cooked thoroughly.
You can also broil the kebabs for browning.
How to serve lamb kofta kebab?
- With dips such as hummus, garlic sauce, or tzatziki.
- Make wraps with pita bread, hummus, chili/garlic sauce, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes.
- You can serve grains such as vermicelli rice, basmati rice, or quinoa.
- Or in a stew or alongside green bean stew or fasolia.
A delicious Lebanese kofta bowl can be served with hummus, lettuce, cucumber, tomato salad, and tabbouleh. To complete the meal include lemon wedges as a garnish, and consider adding pita bread for the full experience.
This is it! This is not a difficult recipe so it’s suitable for beginners as well. Try it at home and you can have a delicious lunch or you can simply impress your family with it at dinner time.
