Bob's Kabobs

1. Make the spice blend: Combine cumin, coriander, chile flakes, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well to combine. Set about 1/3 of the spice blend aside in a small bowl and mix with sumac.

2. Make the kabobs: Place remaining spice blend in a mixing bowl with ground lamb and cold water. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Place bamboo skewers in water to soak while the meat is chilling.

3. Remove meat from the refrigerator and roll into eight equal-sized meatballs using slightly damp hands. Skewer each meatball through the center and shape into an oval, about 3 inches long. Use your fingers to taper each end of the kabob down to a point where it meets the skewer. Place onto a plate and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes, or until ready to grill.

4. Make the yogurt sauce: Whisk Greek yogurt, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water together in a bowl until smooth and combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill to medium-high heat.

6. Remove kabobs from the refrigerator and sprinkle reserved spice blend over top.

7. Grill kabobs over charcoal, turning occasionally, until browned and firm, 10 to 12 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a kabob should read at least 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Serve with yogurt sauce.

   

Chef's Notes:

You can substitute 1 teaspoon paprika plus 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes for the Aleppo flakes, and 1 teaspoon fine salt for the kosher salt.

You can use ground beef instead of lamb or a combination of both, which is very nice. You can skip chilling the kabobs in the refrigerator once shaped.

You can use metal skewers instead of bamboo if you like. While any kind of grill will work, a narrow, hibachi-style grill is perfect for skewered meat.