Duration
1 hour
Serves
4+
Over a decade ago, I worked as a line cook in a really fantastic Indian restaurant for a summer. My job included manning the fryers and salad station, but more importantly I was in charge of everything that was cooked in the giant tandoor oven. Slapping naan bread onto the scorching hot walls while maneuvering around giant, sizzling skewers of meat was a dance that left my arms with plenty of burn scars.
Those scars have faded, but the flavors of that kitchen have remained ingrained in me. This is my way of bringing the flavors of the tandoor home—with a charcoal grill and fragrant spices.
I recommend serving with the yogurt sauce below, which comes together in less than a minute and offers a nice, bright contrast to the savory kebabs.
If you want to make your own naan or flatbread to serve the kofta on, this is a great recipe. Heat a low-sided cast iron on the grill to cook once the dough is ready, keeping the temperature of the grill hot. If you don’t want to make your own flatbreads, buy some ready-made, brush with oil, and toast directly over the grates.
Ingredients
Kofta
- 1 lb. ground venison (15-20% fat ratio is ideal)
- ½ medium yellow onion, grated
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ bunch parsley, fine chopped
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. allspice
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- Salt to taste
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- If you’re using wooden skewers, start by soaking those for about 20 minutes in water to avoid any unnecessary fires. If you have metal or are opting for patty shapes, get started on step two.
- Make the kofta mixture. Mix the onion, garlic, and parsley in a large bowl. (Note: You can grate the onion and chop the garlic and parsley or put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse; just be sure to incorporate all liquid from either method.) Add in the seasoning. Mix in the meat until well incorporated. Add the egg and panko and mix until just combined.
- Split the mixture into eight equal portions. Form meat into rustic hotdog shapes around the skewer. Once made, allow them to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight if you’re prepping ahead.
- While the meat is resting, start the grill. You want it to be pretty hot (400°F and up) to achieve strong char lines.
- While the grill is heating up, whisk all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce together and set aside in the fridge.
- Once your grill is hot and the grates are clean, place skewers on the grill. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and carefully rotate twice for an approximate total cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the temperature of your grill. The goal is to achieve equal char lines all around the kebab.
- After removing the kofta from the grill, you can cook flatbreads on the warm grates. Yogurt sauce, sliced seasonal vegetables, olives, and chopped fresh herbs are all great additions for serving. Alternatively, you can serve right on the stick and dip into yogurt sauce.
This recipe will make about eight meal-sized skewers. These also make an excellent appetizer—just half the size of the meat going on the skewers to make about 16 snack-sized portions to serve with yogurt sauce to dip in as a hors d'oeuvre. Note that cooking time will lessen for this option.
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Over a decade ago, I worked as a line cook in a really fantastic Indian restaurant for a summer. My job included manning the fryers and salad station, but more importantly I was in charge of everything that was cooked in the giant tandoor oven. Slapping naan bread onto the scorching hot walls while maneuvering around giant, sizzling skewers of meat was a dance that left my arms with plenty of burn scars.
Those scars have faded, but the flavors of that kitchen have remained ingrained in me. This is my way of bringing the flavors of the tandoor home—with a charcoal grill and fragrant spices.
I recommend serving with the yogurt sauce below, which comes together in less than a minute and offers a nice, bright contrast to the savory kebabs.
If you want to make your own naan or flatbread to serve the kofta on, this is a great recipe. Heat a low-sided cast iron on the grill to cook once the dough is ready, keeping the temperature of the grill hot. If you don’t want to make your own flatbreads, buy some ready-made, brush with oil, and toast directly over the grates.
Ingredients
Kofta
- 1 lb. ground venison (15-20% fat ratio is ideal)
- ½ medium yellow onion, grated
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ bunch parsley, fine chopped
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. allspice
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- Salt to taste
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- If you’re using wooden skewers, start by soaking those for about 20 minutes in water to avoid any unnecessary fires. If you have metal or are opting for patty shapes, get started on step two.
- Make the kofta mixture. Mix the onion, garlic, and parsley in a large bowl. (Note: You can grate the onion and chop the garlic and parsley or put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse; just be sure to incorporate all liquid from either method.) Add in the seasoning. Mix in the meat until well incorporated. Add the egg and panko and mix until just combined.
- Split the mixture into eight equal portions. Form meat into rustic hotdog shapes around the skewer. Once made, allow them to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight if you’re prepping ahead.
- While the meat is resting, start the grill. You want it to be pretty hot (400°F and up) to achieve strong char lines.
- While the grill is heating up, whisk all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce together and set aside in the fridge.
- Once your grill is hot and the grates are clean, place skewers on the grill. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and carefully rotate twice for an approximate total cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the temperature of your grill. The goal is to achieve equal char lines all around the kebab.
- After removing the kofta from the grill, you can cook flatbreads on the warm grates. Yogurt sauce, sliced seasonal vegetables, olives, and chopped fresh herbs are all great additions for serving. Alternatively, you can serve right on the stick and dip into yogurt sauce.
This recipe will make about eight meal-sized skewers. These also make an excellent appetizer—just half the size of the meat going on the skewers to make about 16 snack-sized portions to serve with yogurt sauce to dip in as a hors d'oeuvre. Note that cooking time will lessen for this option.
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