MINCED MEAT KEBAB
SERVES: 8
It is quite a sight to see these flavoursome kebabs being prepared in the Gulf States, with many shops and food stalls specialising in them.
Lightning-quick hands shape the herbed and spiced meat paste onto long, flat skewers. Iron troughs running the length of the shop glow hotly with their charcoal fires ready to cook the kebabs quickly to juicy tenderness. The skewers sit across the top of the troughs in neat formation, with the cooks working their way up and down the passageway between, turning the skewers or removing them when cooked.
The finished kebab is deftly slid off the skewer onto soft, flat khoubiz; shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, chopped onion and cucumber are added and it is handed to the waiting customer. Hamburger Gulf style!
1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) minced (ground) lamb or beef
1 handful coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large onions, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Baharat
oil, for brushing
To serve
Khoubiz
cos (romaine) lettuce, in leaves or shredded
sliced tomatoes
sliced cucumber
finely chopped onion or spring onions (scallions)
In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, parsley, onion, salt and Baharat. Pass the mixture through a meat grinder twice, using a fine screen; alternatively, process the mixture in four batches in a food processor, using a steel blade.
Turn the mixture into a bowl. If a meat grinder was used, knead the mixture to a smooth paste by hand; if the mixture was processed, knead it to combine the flavours evenly.
Moisten your hands with water. Take generous tablespoons of the paste and mould it around flat, sword-like skewers, in finger shapes about 10 cm (4 inches) long. Place two such shapes on long skewers, or just one shape if the skewers are short. Keep your hands moistened during shaping.
As the skewers are prepared, set them across a baking dish, with the ends of the skewers resting on each side.
Have a charcoal fire at the glowing stage and remove the grill if possible. A rectangular barbecue such as the Japanese hibachi is an advantage here, as medium-length skewers will fit across it without the need for a grill.
Brush the kebabs lightly with oil and grill for 2–3 minutes, turning frequently. If it is impossible to cook the kebabs without a grill, then try to place the skewers so the meat lies between the grill bars.
Remove the cooked kebabs from the skewers and serve immediately in warmed Khoubiz, with salad ingredients.
They may also be served on a plate with a vegetable or salad accompaniment.
Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg
