Levantine cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Kafta Meshwiyeh

Ground lamb with plenty of parsley and onion shaped onto skewers and grilled briefly over charcoal.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g ground lamb or beef
• 2 onions
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp baharat
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 red onion
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Chop the onions and parsley together very finely, put them in a kitchen towel and squeeze out the juice firmly — a mixture that is too wet will later slip off the skewer.
2. Knead the ground lamb with the onion-parsley mixture, baharat, cinnamon, salt and pepper for 4 min. until the mixture is smooth, and chill for 30 min.
3. Slice the red onion into paper-thin rings, mix with sumac, a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon, and let it sit.
4. With damp hands, press eight equal portions around flat skewers and lightly ridge the edges with your thumb.
5. Grill over strong embers for 3–4 min. per side, turning only once, until the surface is well browned but the center still juicy.
6. Brush the skewers with olive oil and arrange with the sumac-onion salad and the remaining lemon in wedges on warm flatbread.