Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

1 prep + 20 cook + 1 Chilling Time:

kebabs

The most delicious and juicy grilled lamb kebabs with garlicky yogurt dipping sauce, refreshing tomato cucumber salad, and simple steamed rice!

Before making the meat mixture, place 7 to 8 thick, long bamboo skewers into a flat tray and fill it with water to soak.
Place the ground lamb meat into a large mixing bowl. Use a cheese grater or food processor to grate the onion and add it to the meat. Next, use a zester to grate the garlic, or use a garlic press. Add the garlic to the mixing bowl.
Next, add the remaining kebab ingredients: eggs, breadcrumbs, yogurt, fresh dill, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, and paprika.
Use your hands to combine all the ingredients together, forming a uniform mixture.

Measure out about 1 cup of meat mixture for each kebab and place it onto a large baking sheet or tray.
For each kebab, shape the meat into an oval or oblong shape, pass the soaked bamboo skewer through the center, then use your hands to press and shape the meat around the skewer, creating a type of ‘meat log’ or sausage.
The meat should be about 1 to 1 ½-inch thick and even thickness throughout. Once you have the kebab shaped, place it flat onto the baking sheet to press and shape it further.
Place the shaped kebabs into the refrigerator to set for at least 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Cover them with plastic if chilling overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill over medium-high flame for about 10 minutes, to about 500 - 550°F. The grate should be extra hot!
Place the kebabs perpendicular to the grill grates to get nice char marks and prevent the meat from falling through the gaps.
Grill the kebabs for about 18 to 20 minutes with the grill lid closed, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Flip the kebabs occasionally for even cooking.
Once grilled, remove them onto a tray to rest.

For the yogurt sauce, place the yogurt into a large mixing bowl. Use a zester to grate the garlic into the yogurt; or use a garlic press.
Next, zest the lemon, then squeeze out the lemon juice; about 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and the fresh herbs – cilantro, mint, and dill.
Mix everything together with a spoon. Keep the sauce chilled until ready to enjoy.

For the salad: add the sliced pepper, cucumber, and chopped tomatoes into a large mixing bowl.
Add the sliced onion, green scallion, chopped fresh herbs, salt, pepper, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, then toss everything together and enjoy.
If you’re not serving the salad right away, keep the salt, lemon juice, and vinegar on the side, then add when ready to enjoy.

For serving the lamb kebabs, I recommend preparing some simple steamed white rice. You can prepare this while the kebabs are grilling.
Serve the kebabs over a bed of rice with cucumber tomato salad on the side. You can spoon the yogurt sauce over the top of the kebabs or keep it on the side.