Makes 6
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 500g minced lamb, hogget or mutton
- 1 medium-hot red chilli, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 2 tsp nigella seeds
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the minted yoghurt
- ¼ cucumber, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- A bunch of mint, leaves picked and shredded into thin ribbons
- ½ garlic clove, peeled and finely grated or crushed to a paste
- 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Method
Set a small pan over the fire (or the kitchen hob). Add the cumin and fennel seeds along with the peppercorns and toast gently for 3–4 minutes. Tip the contents of the pan into a mortar and grind the spices with a pestle to a fairly fine texture.
Put the minced meat into a large bowl. Add the ground spices, chilli, garlic, nigella seeds and some salt and pepper. Use clean hands to mix the meat and seasonings thoroughly and bind the mixture together. Flour your hands lightly and divide the mixture into 6 portions. Mould into long sausage shapes and thread onto skewers, then place in the fridge to chill and firm up for at least an hour.
For the minted yoghurt, place the cucumber, mint, garlic, yoghurt and olive oil in a bowl, add some salt and pepper and gently turn it all together. Set aside.
When you’re ready, light the fire. You want a bed of hot embers for this, as the lamb is quite fatty and might flare up if the fire is flaming. Set a grill over the embers; it’s reached the right temperature when you can hover your hand above the grill for a maximum of 2 seconds.
Brush the kofte with a little oil and place on the grill. Cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over and cooked through. Serve with the minted yoghurt and flatbreads, as well as some fresh coriander leaves, jalapeños and a scattering of fennel fronds, if you have some.
