Oasis Kebabs Kofta Recipes

KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• Mash the garlic into a paste with the salt using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife on your cutting board. Mix the garlic into the lamb along with the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Form the mixture into 28 balls. Form each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.

KOFTA KEBABS

Steps:

• For the tzatziki sauce: Strain Greek yogurt through a paper-towel lined colander and let sit for 3 hours to thicken, refrigerated.
• Fold the yogurt with cucumbers, fresh lemon juice, mint, crushed garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the harissa sauce: Char red bell peppers over an open flame, then remove seeds and clean the skin.
• Boil Fresno chiles in salted water in a pot on medium heat until the vegetables start to soften. Drain, then deseed and remove the membranes of the chiles.
• Toast cumin seeds, coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet until fragrant. Crush the toasted spices in a spice grinder with mint and salt until finely ground.
• Blend the spice mixture with the roasted red bell peppers, Fresno chiles, vegetable oil, garlic and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil while blending.
• For the tahini sauce: Blend tahini, water, lemon juice, salt and garlic.
• For the kebabs: Mix ground beef, allspice, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, garlic, onion and parsley in a bowl by hand, then refrigerate overnight.
• Form the mixture into 4 to 6 balls, then put each on a metal skewer. Lengthen the meat into elongated kebab shapes and grill over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Warm the pita with a little butter and swipe with the tzatziki sauce. Top with the kebab, then squirt with tahini sauce and harissa sauce.

OASIS KEBABS / KOFTA

Steps:

• 1. Combine the beef, onion, parsley, mint, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then knead and squeeze the mixture with your hands until thoroughly blended, 3 to 4 minutes. To test the mixture for seasoning, sauté a small amount of it in a nonstick skillet until cooked through, then taste, adding salt or pepper to the remaining mixture as necessary.2. Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water, then, starting about 1 inch from the tip of a skewer, mold each portions around the skewer to form a flattish sausage about 10 inches long and 1 inch wide. To keep from flattening the meat, place each kofta as it is made on a baking pan so the ends of the skewers rest on the sides of the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.3. If desired, set up the grill for grateless grilling. Preheat the grill to high.4. When ready to cook, if not using the grateless method, generously oil the grate. Arrange the koftas on the grill as described in the grateless method or arrange directly on the hot oiled grate. Grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes in all).5. Use a pita bread to protect your hand as you slide each kofta off its skewer onto a plate. Serve the koftas sprinkled with chopped onion and, if desired, ground sumac, and accompanied by pita breads.Makes 8 koftas serves 4 as an entrée

OVEN-BAKED KOFTA KEBABS (PAKISTANI-STYLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion and 1 tablespoon of the oil from the skillet to a food processor and puree until smooth. Reserve remaining oil in the skillet.
• Place onion puree, beef, egg, yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander, salt, and red pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand to combine. Form beef mixture into 4 to 5-inch-long kebabs using oiled hands. Arrange in a baking pan.
• Saute cumin seeds in the reserved oil over medium-high heat until blackened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, and salt; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Pour the sauce over the kebabs. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beef is no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Uncover and turn on the broiler. Broil until brown, about 5 minutes more.