Description
ground lamb patties spiced with cumin, cinnamon and black pepper
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 1 small yellow onion (grated)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley + cilantro (approximately a handful of each, without stems)
- 1 lime (zested + juiced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt (*use 1/2 tsp if sensitive to salt*)
- neutral oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients listed above. If you are making this mixture in advance, you can let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. If you are making it to be eaten right away, just move onto the next step.
- Allow the meat to rest on the counter for 30 minutes (so that it's not so cold) before you begin the cooking process.
- Shape the patties as you wish, using slightly less than 1/4 cup of meat mixture per kofta. I shaped them into oblong disks by making logs and then tapering the edges. You could also make regular patties, just don't make them too thin! You want a fairly thick center to prevent drying out.
- Once you are ready to cook, warm a cast-iron plan on the stove. Turn the heat to high and let the pan get REALLY hot. Once it's very hot, add a tablespoon of neutral oil, then turn the heat down to medium.
- Add the kofta to the pan (they probably won't fit at once) and cook on a medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on how well you like your meat cooked. We went with 5 minutes per side, which resulted in a little bit of pink left in the middle. If you prefer your meat completely well-done, you'll need to cook it for ~7 minutes per side. Since the meat is ground, you can usually tell how cooked it is by pressing it with your finger. If it has a lot of give, it's still raw in the middle.
- After the first 5-7 minutes, flip the kofta. Your pan should be very well lubricated from the lamb fat. If for some reason it's not, add a bit more neutral oil. Cook the kofta on the second side for another few minutes, then remove once it's nice and brown. Place it on a cooling rack or on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra grease.
- Serve kofta alongside rice and salad for a complete and delicious meal!
Notes
This recipe makes about 8 kofta. 2 kofta are enough for 1 person with salad, rice, and other sides! If you're feeding 4 very hungry people, and/or you want leftovers, make double!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-14 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: lamb, lamb kofta, middle eastern cooking, lebanese food, turkish food