The bold, intense flavour of these Grilled Turkey Kofta skewers will both surprise and fascinate you. Using simple ingredients, and magnificently easy to prepare, they will delight everyone you serve them to. As always, I recommend reading through all the hlepful tips in the post before making the kofta.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Resting time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr8 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1small onionchopped
2large garlic clovessmashed and peeled
1/2 cupflat-leaf parsley leavessome thin stem is fine
4-5large mint leaves
1/4cuptoasted pine nuts plus extra for garnish
2lbs(about 900g) ground turkey
1 1/2teaspoons ground cinnamon
1teaspoonsground allspice
1/4teaspoon cayenne pepperoptional
1teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Place the onion, garlic, parsley, mint, and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until finely minced and almost smooth.
Place the ground turkey in a large bowl and add the onion mixture along with the cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Use your hands or a fork to thoroughly combine.
Prepare a small bowl with ice-cold water. Wet your hands and form the kebab mixture into 3-inch ovals that are tapered at the ends. You should have about 18 patties. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, 1 hour is best.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water at least 20 minutes before grilling.
Once chilled, you can proceed with grilling the patties as they are, or skewer the patties. To skewer; thread a wooden skewer into each kebab, reshaping it into small ovals around the skewers (wet your hands again while doing this, if needed). At this point you can grill the kebabs right away, or refrigerate again until ready to use, for up to 2 days.
When ready to grill, preheat a gas grill to high (or a grill pan over medium-high). Once the grill is hot, brush the grates with oil. Grill the kofta, spaced well apart, until slightly charred on the outside and just cooked through, about 4 minutes a side.
Serve warm with your favourite sides.
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Jerusalem: A CookbookMake Ahead:This grilled turkey kofta recipe is perfect for planning a make-ahead meal. Simply combine the mixture, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.Alternatively, shape the mixture into the oval patties, then refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 2 days. You can also skewer the chilled patties and place back in the fridge, loosely covered, until ready to use, or for up to 2 days. Storage:Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.