Spiced Ground Beef Kofta

Step 1

Soak eight wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or use metal).

Step 2

If you plan on grilling your kofta, clean the grill first, then lightly oil grates. Preheat to medium-high for about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Cover bread of choice with just enough water to submerge and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain excess water from the bowl and squeeze out as much as you can from the bread.

Step 4

Add soaked bread and parsley to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Step 5

Add the garlic and ginger to the food processor and pulse until a smooth paste. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

Step 6

Finely grate the onion with a box grater. Place grated onion into a towel, squeeze out excess moisture, and add the onion to the bowl with the ginger and garlic. Add the beef, the remaining spices, and the salt.

Step 7

Work in the spices and incorporate by hand until the meat is smooth and ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 8

Form eight oblong patties around each skewer. Close your first around meat and squeeze to help it adhere to the skewer. Your koftas should be roughly 1 inch thick.

Step 9

Skewer each patty and place on a tray lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.

Step 10

If grilling, place kofta on grill and cook on medium-high for 3-4 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 150 F.

Step 11

If cooking in the oven: preheat the oven to 400 F. Insert tray onto top rack and cook kofta for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway.

Step 12

Serve with rice, pita bread, a mint/tomato/cucumber salad, hummus, and tzatziki for optimum flavor (and shareability).