If there is only one way to eat meat, it should be kafta kabob. So juicy, tender, flavorful, and perfect with bread, rice, or salad. This kafta is seasoned with spices, onions, peppers, and tomato paste. This is one kafta recipe you can count on for juicy flavor!

Ingredients

I most often use ground beef, but you could combine a mixture of grounf lamb and beef or go all lamb or all beef, depending on your preference. Lamb kafta and beef kafta are often featured as two different options in the Middle East.

Onions are important to the recipe; they add moisture and flavor the meat as it permeates into every piece of the kabob. I ALWAYS strain the onions in a sieve first; the amount of water you can pull out is amazing! This ensures taht the ground meat mixture will bind together and not fall apart because of too much liquid.

I add just a bit of tomato paste, red pepper paste, and minced peppers because these give such a delicious hint of flavors from the grilled veggies we often add to kabob. Their fresh aromatic scent balance the meat from being too heavy and meaty. Try it- you won’t go back to plain beef once you do!

Kafta needs to be shaped and cooked on a skewer. Metal skewers work best because you can easily handle the kabob, and they are reusable. The thicker shape of a metal skewer also gives good heat circulation to cook the kabob evenly and faster. bambook skewers can work, and are easily found at most grocery stores. Just be sure to soak them in water first for about 30 minutes so that they don’t burn!

Cooking kafta on a grill is the BEST way to cook it. The smoky fire flavor is a part of kafta’s deliciousness. In a pinch, or if the weather is not cooperating, you could always cook the kabobs on a cast iron grill indoors. I recommend this one I use by Lodge. It is awesome. It also flips to the other side as a griddle.