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The ingredients here look rather minimal and the truth is, for authentic Adana kebab, they should be. In order to let the juicy flavour of the meat sing, the only other flavours should come from red peppers – the combination of heat from dried and crushed pul biber and finely chopped romano peppers. Authentic Adana kebab is made by very finely, and a little laboriously, mincing the lamb by hand using a very large, curved knife known as a 'zihr'. The meat is mixed with lamb's tail fat, an ingredient used regularly in Türkiye and Cyprus, and then barbecued on skewers. For this version, I have used 20 per cent fat lamb mince to create the juiciest, most succulent kebabs. I actually suggest omitting the skewers, as cooking them straight on a tray allows the kebabs to cook in their own juices. If you like your köfte really spicy, use 2 tbsp of acı (hot) red pepper paste instead of 3 tbsp of the tatlı (sweet, milder one). Absolutely delicious served with grilled tomatoes and onions, and sivri biber (large green chilli peppers), as well as cacik and ezme – see the recipes below.

  • 2 large red romano peppers
    cored, deseeded, and cut into large chunks
  • 800g 20% fat lamb mince
  • 3 tbsp Turkish mild (sweet) red pepper paste
  • 1 tbsp pul biber
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil

Nutrition: Per serving

  • kcal455
  • fat31g
  • saturates10g
  • carbs5g
  • sugars4g
  • fibre3g
  • protein36g
  • salt2.55g

Method

  • step 1

    Finely chop the peppers in a food processor, then tip them in a sieve and press into the sieve so that the peppers release all of their juices. Tip into a bowl along with the mince, red pepper paste, pul biber, 1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and 2 tbsp of the oil. Mix together, kneading well for at least 2-3 mins. If you need to, wet your hands with cold water to prevent the mixture from sticking. The mixture should be sticky when ready. Cover and chill for at least 2 hrs, or up to 12 hrs.

  • step 2

    When ready to cook, heat the grill to high or an oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, around 85g each. If you’d like to skewer them, divide into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Using wet hands, thread the balls onto the end of the skewers, massaging the mixture down the skewers in between the palms of your hands, until evenly distributed. Ensure that the mixture is fully wrapped tightly around the skewers without any exposed metal. Alternatively, lay them on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper if cooking in the oven, or foil if cooking under the grill. Shape into 20cm-long köfte. Wet your fingers with a little cold water and make indents all along the köfte for the traditional shape.

  • step 3

    Gently brush each köfte with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and cook under the grill, on the top shelf for 10-12 mins, turning regularly, or cook in the oven for 16-18 mins, until crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle

Recipe tips

To air fry:

Cook for 7-8 mins at 210C (no need to turn) until crispy on the outside and still juicy in the middle.

To barbecue:

Ensure your grills are hot and over a low-medium heat. The coals should be white so that they don’t flame while the köfte cook, otherwise they will burn. Grill the kofte for 4-5 mins on each side, until cooked through and browned on the outside.

Save the juices:

Save the strained pepper juices and add to sauces and soups.

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