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The DIY BBQ Cookbook by James Whetlor (Quadrille, £20) Photography: Sam Folan
How to Make Turkish-Style Lamb Kebabs
Anyone who's eaten on Green Lanes in North London will know these - classic Turkish meat on skewers. A delicious but simple cook, it's a great place to start if you are just getting to know your BBQ. Konak, on London Road in Leicester does a particularly good one and I've done my best to replicate it here.
Suitable for
all BBQs
Serves
4–6
Kit required
8 skewers
Ingredients
- 800g minced lamb or goat
- 1 small onion, coarsely grated
- ½ small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Urfa or Aleppo chilli flakes, or any chilli flakes
- 2 tsp sumac
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- For the yoghurt sauce
- 50g tahini
- 150g natural yoghurt
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- A sprinkle of sumac
- Sea salt
- For the flatbreads (makes 10)
- 600g plus four tablespoons strong white bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 7g dried yeast or 14g fresh yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 370ml water
- To serve
- Salad
Method
Preheat the BBQ to a medium heat. Place the meat in a bowl and mix with the onion, parsley and spices. Season with half teaspoon salt, then knead for a minute until completely combined. Divide the mixture into eight sausage shapes, then place in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. They can be threaded onto skewers or cooked like a sausage.
In a bowl, whisk the tahini with the yoghurt, lemon juice and spices until you have a smooth sauce. Season with salt and set aside.
Either thread the meat onto skewers or simply place on the grill and cook like a sausage. Grill for 10 minutes, turning often, until cooked through and beginning to char nicely.
To make the flatbread, put the flour, yeast, salt, olive oil and water into a large bowl and mix with your hands. When the dough has formed together, tip out and knead for 10 minutes.
Return the dough to a greased bowl, cover and allow to prove for one hour, or until it has doubled in size. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, then roll into dough balls in your hands. Once all the balls are made, allow to prove for another hour.
Roll each ball into a rough circle.
Preheat the BBQ to a high heat. Place your flatbreads on the hot grill and cook for three to four minutes, turning once until the breads have puffed up a little and are starting to char. Wrap in a clean cloth to keep warm.
Serve the lamb kebabs with salad on flatbreads, topped with the yoghurt sauce.
