Name: Lamb Kofte With Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 hr
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole-milk); 1 tsp. minced garlic; 2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces; 1 lb ground lamb; 1 small red onion, minced or grated; ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 Tbsp. baharat; 1½ tsp. Maras red pepper flakes; 1½ tsp. Urfa pepper or crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; Accompaniment: 16 soft lettuce leaves for wrapping (optional); 16 (10-inch) wooden skewers

Three lamb kofta meatballs in lettuce wraps on a platter.

Photo by Stephanie Foley

Cooks' note:

Köfte can be broiled on a baking sheet 5 inches from heat, turning over once.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hr
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For sauce

1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole-milk)

1 tsp. minced garlic

For köfte

2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces

1 lb ground lamb

1 small red onion, minced or grated

⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. baharat

1½ tsp. Maras red pepper flakes

1½ tsp. Urfa pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Accompaniment: 16 soft lettuce leaves for wrapping (optional)

Special Equipment

16 (10-inch) wooden skewers

Preparation

Make sauce:
Step 1
Stir yogurt with garlic and salt to taste.
Make köfte:
Step 2
Cover bread with water in a bowl and soak 30 minutes, then squeeze bread to remove as much moisture as possible.
Step 3
Prepare grill while bread soaks.
Step 4
Transfer squeezed bread to a large bowl and add remaining köfte ingredients, then mix well with your hands until thoroughly blended. Divide lamb mixture into 16 portions and form each into a ball. Roll each ball into a 7- to 8-inch-long "cigar," rolling first between your hands and then on a work surface (be sure the köfte are thin enough for even cooking). Slide a skewer lengthwise through center of each köfte.
Step 5
Grill on oiled grill rack, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve warm with yogurt sauce.

TagsSkewer Yogurt Dairy Ground Lamb Lamb Meat Garlic Root Vegetable Vegetable Lettuce Leafy Greens Main Dinner Nut Free Weeknight Meals Grilling Gourmet Middle Eastern Turkish

Recipe information

Ingredients

For sauce

For köfte

Special Equipment

Preparation

Make sauce:

Step 1

Make köfte:

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Recipe notes