Hand-mixed lamb kofte pressed onto skewers and grilled hard, with a pile of sumac and parsley onions to cut the fat. No rusk, no breadcrumbs, no flour.
Prep
30 mins
Cook
15 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£2.13
Difficulty
medium
Adana kebab is defined by its fat content and its chilli. The mince needs to be worked until it is genuinely sticky, which is what lets it grip a flat skewer without any binder at all. Keeping everything cold until the moment it hits the heat is the other half of the battle.
Grate the onion and squeeze it thoroughly in a clean cloth until it stops dripping. Any water left in it will make the kofte slide off the skewer.
Combine the lamb mince, squeezed onion, chopped red pepper, garlic, pul biber, cumin, paprika, half the parsley and 1.5 tsp of the salt in a large bowl.
Knead firmly with one hand for 5 full minutes, pressing and folding, until the mixture becomes noticeably sticky and starts clinging to your palm.
Five minutes feels excessive but this is the entire binder. Stop early and the kofte will crumble under the grill.
Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. The mixture must be cold when it goes onto the skewers.
Divide into 8 portions. With wet hands, press each around a flat metal skewer into a long flattened sausage, squeezing ridges along it with your fingers.
Meanwhile, toss the sliced red onions with the sumac, remaining parsley, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and the remaining salt. Leave to soften for 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until very hot. Brush the kofte with the remaining oil and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side without moving them, until charred and cooked through.
Rest for 3 minutes, then slide off the skewers and serve on rice with the sumac onions heaped over and lemon wedges alongside.