Sumac Terrace · Main dishes

Grilled Lamb Kofta with Tahini Sauce

Name: Grilled Lamb Kofta with Tahini Sauce
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 600 g Ground lamb; 1 whole Onion; 25 g Fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 clove Garlic; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 1 tsp Ground coriander; 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp Ground allspice; 1 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 70 g Tahini; 1 whole Lemon; 60 ml Water; 4 whole Pita breads

Ground lamb mixed with onion, parsley, cumin and allspice, shaped into kofta and grilled until just cooked through. A tahini-lemon sauce and warm pita sit beside them.

45 minutes · Medium · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Ground lamb600 g
Onion1 whole
Fresh flat-leaf parsley25 g
Garlic2 clove
Ground cumin1 tsp
Ground coriander1 tsp
Ground cinnamon0.5 tsp
Ground allspice0.5 tsp
Salt1 tsp
Black pepper0.5 tsp
Olive oil1 tbsp
Tahini70 g
Lemon1 whole
Water60 ml
Pita breads4 whole

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Sesame (tahini) and wheat (pita).

Method

Mix the kofta

Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze it in a clean towel so the mix is not wet. Finely chop the parsley and mince the garlic. In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands just until it holds together. Do not knead it into a paste. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Wash your hands and the board.

Make the tahini sauce

Stir the tahini with the lemon juice and a pinch of extra salt if you have it; it will seize and look grainy. Whisk in the water a spoonful at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable, like heavy cream. Set it aside.

Grill until safe

Divide the lamb into 8 portions and shape each around a skewer, or into a thick sausage about 12 cm long. Brush lightly with the olive oil. Heat a grill pan or the broiler to high. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, turning until browned all over. Health Canada’s safe internal temperature for ground lamb is 71°C (160°F): check the centre of the thickest kofta. There should be no pink in the middle. Move them to a clean plate.

Serve

Warm the pitas in a dry skillet. Serve the kofta with the tahini sauce and the bread. The sauce belongs on the side or spooned over at the table, not cooked with the meat.

Wet onion makes the kofta fall apart on the grill. Squeeze it dry. Ground lamb is done at 71°C in the centre, not when the outside looks brown.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.