Lamb giaortlou kebab - lamb kofta with tomato sauce and yoghurt
If you are not familiar with lamb kebab ‘giaortlou’ you are really in for a treat! Spiced lamb kofta served over warm pitta bread with a rich tomato sauce and yoghurt.
If you can’t find Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası) then you can blitz two long roasted red peppers (from a jar) into a paste. You will use the paste in both the tomato sauce and the kofta.
Make the tomato sauce: heat the butter in a small pot and add the tomatoes, pepper paste, garlic and spices. Simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally – this can take up to 30 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sweat then onions and garlic until translucent and soft. Leave to cool slightly.
Mix the lamb mince, onions and garlic, pepper paste, parsley and spice together. Chill for an hour or overnight to allow the flavours to develop. The best way to check the seasoning is to fry a small piece of the mince then taste it for flavour.
Divide the lamb mix into 8 or 9 balls and then roll into a tube/sausage shape.
Thread a skewer into each kofta and chill again, if possible, to allow them to firm up.
Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Brush the kofta with olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Mix the yoghurt with the minced garlic and olive oil.
Serve your lamb kofta over a warm flatbreads and spoon over some yoghurt and tomato sauce. Top with sliced onions, chopped parsley and sprinkle with a little paprika.