A few days ago I shared a delicious and fragrant Spiced Beef and Cabbage recipe that uses a Kafta spice mixture to season the dish. With that delightful spice mixture sitting on my counter, alongside loads of fresh parsley waiting to be used, I decided to go ahead and make real Kafta Kebobs for the grill. I used the same spice mixture, although this time I added in some sumac to brighten things up. I served it alongside this Mediterranean Rice Recipe and za’atar-lemon-cucumbers. I would also recommend a quick side of tzatziki, which you can mix up if you have fresh cucumbers, dill (or even just more parsley) and Greek yogurt. If not tzatziki, a mixture of tahini yogurt, or even just straight tahini drizzled over the top goes a long way.
Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef (or lamb)
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped, including the stems
plenty of salt
1-2 lemons, sliced in half
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 5+ minutes
1 tsp sumac
4 tsp Kafta Spice Mixture:
3 tsp oregano
3 tsp coriander
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne
Method
Mix ground meat, salt, 3/4 of the fresh chopped parsley, 4 tsp of kafta spice mix, and sumac in a large bowl. Shape into meatballs that are slightly oblong. Skewer two meatballs per stick.
Grill until the kebabs are cooked to your preference (an internal temp of 165 degrees is safe). Slice the lemons in half and grill them face-down for a minute or two. When the kebabs are finished, generously squeeze fresh lemon juice all over the top and sprinkle the remaining parsley. Feel free to drizzle some tahini, tzatziki, or tahini-yogurt on top.
Serve immediately, with rice, fresh pita, and/or a cucumber salad.
