Written for 2. Change that in the app and the amounts follow.
Tick things off as you get them ready.
Make the tzatziki first: grate the cucumber, squeeze out all the liquid with your hands, and mix with yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, lemon juice, half the mint, and salt. Refrigerate.
Combine lamb, remaining garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, the rest of the mint, and a good pinch of salt. Mix well with your hands.
Divide into 8 portions. Roll each into a sausage shape and thread onto skewers (or just shape them by hand).
Heat a ridged pan or grill over high heat. Brush with olive oil. Cook the kofta for 2 minutes per side until charred and cooked through (8–10 minutes total).
Serve immediately with the cold tzatziki alongside, and flatbread if you have it.
What she’d tell you
Kofta are the meatballs of the Middle East: shaped long and cooked over high heat so the outside chars while the inside stays moist. The tzatziki is cold, garlicky, and a little sour. Together they are one of the great combinations in cooking.
beef mince, or half lamb half beef
ras el hanout or a good baharat blend
The kofta keep three days, the tzatziki two. Store them apart.
The kofta in a hot pan or a medium oven for five minutes. The tzatziki stays cold.
