Kabab Koobideh — Grilled Ground Lamb Skewers

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Lamb, coarsely ground with some fat
• 1 large onion, grated and squeezed bone dry
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Pinch saffron in 2 tbsp hot water
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 4 Tomatoes, for the grill
• Sumac and flatbread, for serving

Method

1. Knead the Ground Lamb with the squeezed onion, salt, pepper, and turmeric for a solid 5 minutes, until the mixture turns tacky and pulls away from the bowl in one mass. That stickiness is the only thing keeping it on the skewer.
2. Chill the mixture 30 minutes. Wet your hands, take a handful, and press it along a wide flat skewer, squeezing at intervals to make the classic ridges. Thin and even beats thick and lumpy.
3. Get the grill properly hot and the grate clean. Lay the skewers across so the meat hangs clear of the bars and doesn't touch them.
4. Grill 3 minutes, then turn — if the meat sags, it wasn't kneaded enough, and next time you'll know. Cook 4–5 minutes more, brushing with saffron butter, until browned and cooked to 160°F (71°C).
5. Grill the Tomatoes alongside until the skins split. Slide the kababs off onto warm flatbread, dust heavily with sumac, and serve with rice or more bread.