Ingredients
- •2 lbs ground lamb (not extra-lean)
- •1 medium onion, grated and squeezed dry
- •4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- •¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- •2 tsp ground cumin
- •2 tsp Aleppo pepper (or 1 tsp paprika + 1/2 tsp cayenne)
- •1 tsp ground coriander
- •2 tsp kosher salt
- •1 tsp black pepper
- •½ tsp ground cinnamon
- •For serving:
- •Warm pita or lavash bread
- •Thick plain yogurt
- •Grilled tomatoes and long green peppers
- •Sumac onions (sliced red onion + sumac + lemon juice)
- •Fresh parsley and mint
Instructions
Combine ground lamb with squeezed onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, Aleppo pepper, coriander, salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
Mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and well combined.
Shape into 8 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick (or press onto flat metal skewers).
Place patties in vacuum-seal bags in a single layer without touching.
Seal gently to avoid deforming the patties.
Preheat sous vide bath to 132°F (56°C).
Submerge and cook for 2 h.
When done, remove patties and pat dry.
Heat a grill or grill pan to the highest possible heat.
Grill kofte 60–90 sec per side until charred with grill marks.
While kofte grill, char halved tomatoes and long green peppers alongside.
Arrange kofte on warm pita with grilled vegetables.
Serve with yogurt, sumac onions, and fresh herbs.
Notes
- •Squeezing the grated onion dry is critical or the mixture will be too wet to hold shape
- •Flat metal skewers are traditional and prevent the kofte from spinning on the grill
- •The sous vide step means the interior is perfectly cooked before the grill even touches it
- •In Turkey these are served with charred vegetables, not raw salad