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.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar)
• blitzed into a paste
• or 1 tsp Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası)
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 400 g | 14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion (grated or very finely diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 500 g | 1.1lb minced lamb
• 2 tbsp red pepper paste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• olive oil (as needed, to cook the kofta)
• 500 g | 1.1lb Greek-style yogurt
• 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• wooden skewers (soaked in water so they don’t burn)
• flatbreads or pocketless pitta bread to serve
• 1 thinly sliced red onion to serve
• chopped parsley to garnish
• paprika to sprinkle

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1If 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.
2. 2Make 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.
3. 3Heat the oil in a frying pan and sweat then onions and garlic until translucent and soft. Leave to cool slightly.
4. 4Mix 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.
5. 5Divide the lamb mix into 8 or 9 balls and then roll into a tube/sausage shape.
6. 6Thread a skewer into each kofta and chill again, if possible, to allow them to firm up.
7. 7Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Brush the kofta with olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
8. 8Mix the yoghurt with the minced garlic and olive oil.
9. 9Serve 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.