Moroccan Beef Koftas
Making kofta is an ancient way of grilling ground meat. Aromatic and savory spices are added to the meat before it is shaped around a skewer for grilling. It is a lot like a sausage without the casing.
The secret to successful koftas is to make sure the meat is sticky enough to hold together on the skewers. To cook these, you will simply need a hot grill, which could be an open hibachi or a charcoal or gas grill. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about an hour before grilling. This will keep the exposed ends from burning when you grill the kofta kebabs.
Serve the beef koftas alongside four to five warmed pitas, a cup of plain yogurt, red onion sliced into rings, and two limes quartered. You and your guests can make pita sandwiches with these elements for an informal meal. Side dishes that pair nicely with beef kofta include chickpea salad, tabbouleh, spiced carrots, or couscous. Vegetable side dishes are often cooked rather than fresh, such as zaalouk, which is eggplant and tomatoes with spices.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- Pita, yogurt, red onion, lemon or lime wedges, additional cilantro or parsley, for serving, optional