These flavouring mixes also make excellent marinades for diced kid kebabs. To cook these on a BBQ, you will need wooden or metal skewers (soak wooden ones in water for about 30 minutes beforehand). They are all also very nice served with a herb salad, or chopped salad.
Serves 4
600g/1lb 5oz minced (ground) kid
1 teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Kofta
1 small onion, coarsely grated
3 tablespoons finely chopped flatleaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon baharat spice blend
Turkish version
3½ tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1–2 teaspoons Turkish chilli flakes (try to find dark Urfa or red Aleppo chilli)
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Turkish pepper paste (or use harissa and few of the chilli flakes)
Persian version
75g/2¾oz dried cranberries (or use sour cherries)
50g/⅓ cup pine nuts
1 egg
1 small onion, coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons finely chopped flatleaf parsley
To serve
lemon wedges
Put the minced meat in a bowl with the salt and pepper and all the ingredients from your chosen variation. Mix well, using your hands to squish and knead the ingredients together. Divide into 8 equal portions and, with wet hands, shape each piece into a thick sausage shape about 12cm/4¾in long. Thread each kebab onto a skewer. (They can also be shaped into ovals or balls and fried.)
Grill on the hottest part of a grill or barbecue, turning them as needed, until slightly charred and cooked through, 5–10 minutes. If the outside starts to burn before the inside is fully cooked, move to the cooler side of the grill.
Serve with flatbreads, chopped salad, hot sauce, yoghurt sauce and lemon wedges.