Ground Lamb Kofto Kebabs with Pomegranate Glaze, Bengali-Spiced Potatoes & Persian Cucumber Raita

By á-3145

This meal was very easy to come together even though there were a lot of dishes to do in the end. The lamb was flavorful and complex, the potatoes were crispy and intense and, the raita was cooling and well matched to it's companion dishes.

Ingredients

• RAITA:
• 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 6 sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked and minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Potatoes:
• 1 pound new potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons panch puran spice blend or Bengali five spice blend. (Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets)
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kebabs:
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked (about 2 cups)
• 4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked (about 1 cup)
• 1 shallot, roughly chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil, for greasing and drizzling
• 2 T pomegranate molasses*
• 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
• Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets
• Special Equipment: 12 (10-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Preparation

Step 1

For the raita: Mix the cucumber, mint, garlic, and yogurt together in a large bowl with plenty of salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill.

For the potatoes:

Fill a large pot with cool water and put over high heat. Add the potatoes and a hefty dose of salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and push them through a potato ricer. Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the panch puran seasoning. Cook the seasoning blend until fragrant and the spices begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute until tender and lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the potatoes and flatten them with a spatula, cook about 5 minutes, stirring and flattening a few times, until the bottom gets a little crispy. Season the potatoes with salt, and pepper, to taste, and keep warm until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the parsley, mint, shallot, lemon zest, and garlic, then pulse until finely minced.

Add the mixture to a bowl with the ground lamb, baking soda and lots of salt and pepper, to taste. Knead until the mixture turns sticky, looks like a piece of knitted fabric, and holds its shape. Pull off a small ball of meat and shape into a fat cylinder. Thread a skewer through the middle lengthwise, and smooth the meat down the skewer until it's even all the way down. Repeat with rest of the meat mixture. Put the kebabs on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little more oil. Combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.

Light a grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, generously brushing with the pomegranate mixture. Cook the kebabs until browned, about 6 minutes.

Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter and serve with the potatoes and raita on the side.