Moroccan Kefta Kebab

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or lamb, or a combination of the two)
• 3 ounces ground beef or lamb fat, optional
• 1 medium onion, chopped very fine or grated
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped, optional
• Steps to Make It
• Gather the ingredients.
• Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and cover. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer to allow the flavors to blend. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water.
• Preheat the grill or grill pan and prepare it for your kebabs. To make kebabs, take small amounts of kefta and shape them into cylinders or sausage shapes. Skewer the meat, squeezing it to mold it to the skewer.
• Cook over hot coals, approximately 5 minutes each side. If you don’t have a charcoal grill, the kebabs can be cooked on a gas grill or grill pan. It may take less or more time, depending on how hot the grill is and how thick you shaped the kefta. Watch the kebabs carefully so you don’t dry out the meat.
• Serve immediately, or wrap in aluminum foil to keep hot while you cook additional kebabs. Enjoy!
• Tips
• You can use lean ground meat, but the classic recipe calls for a higher fat content for a moister result.
• If you would like to grind your meat at home, a finer grind is preferred for this dish.
• Traditionally, the meat, fat, spices, and herbs would all be passed through a meat grinder together to blend the flavors better.
• If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak in water for 30 minutes prior to forming the kefta to prevent the sticks from catching fire on the grill.