Lamb Kofta with Mint & Garlic Yogurt

I just love making food that be cooked and eaten from skewers, it adds a lovely theatrical element to a meal and no matter how old I get it still amuses me! Kofta's are ridiculously easy to make and perfect for a family meal or if you want to get your children involved in cooking. The fat in the lamb is what flavours the kofta so stay away from lean mince and preferably ask your butcher to mince shoulder meat. Sometimes I find that the spices can be overpowering in kofta recipes, so I've made sure this recipe is subtle in flavour,

allowing the lamb to be the star of the show. Where you have middle eastern lamb, it's only right you have yogurt. I've dodged the standard tzatziki and made a lovely garlic and mint yogurt to accompany the lamb. My favourite way to eat kofta is with flatbread and salad, but rice works really well too.

Makes 6 kofta

Ingredients for the kofta

500g minced lamb

Small bunch of mint, chopped

Small bunch of parsley, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the yogurt

150g natural yogurt, I used Yeo Valley

10 mint leaves, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

A glug of olive oil, good quality

Salt and pepper

Instructions

If you are using wooden skewers soak for 15 minutes minimum.

Start by placing all of the ingredients for the lamb in a mixing bowl, combine using your hands for the best effect and feeling! Now take a handful of meat and roll into a meatball, thread onto a skewer and roll into a long sausage shape. Repeat with the remaining meat, you should be able to make 6 skewers. Cover and leave for 30 minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Now turn on the grill to a high heat. Place the kofta high in the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, or until coloured and starting to crisp.

While the kofta's are cooking you can make the yogurt. Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir thoroughly. Dust the surface with extra pepper.

Serve immediately with your choice of salad, bread or rice.