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Lula kebab
Lülə kabab: hand-chopped lamb kebab with onion and sumac
Lula kebab is the kebab Baku's grill houses are proudest of: minced lamb mixed with onion and a little tail fat, squeezed by hand around wide skewers and cooked fast over charcoal. It comes to the table on thin lavash with sliced raw onion tossed in sumac, grilled tomatoes and a pile of herbs, usually at long family lunches and weddings. The meat is only salted and peppered, so it tastes of lamb rather than spice. Many people skip chilling the mince, and soft warm meat slides straight off the skewer into the fire. Chef's tip: knead and slap the mince against the bowl for a few minutes; it becomes sticky and clings to the skewer.
- Total time
- 42 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the kebab
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ lb minced lamb, about 20% fat, 2 onions, 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and ½ tsp ground coriander in a bowl. Knead for 5 minutes, lifting the mince and slapping it back into the bowl, until it turns sticky and pale.
5 minStep 2: Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, so the fat firms up and the mince holds on the skewer.
60 minStep 3: Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are glowing and covered in grey ash, or heat an oven grill to its highest setting.
25 minStep 4: Wet your hands with cold water. Take a portion of mince the size of a small orange, press it around a wide flat skewer and squeeze it along into a sausage about 15 cm long and 3 cm thick. Pinch the ends tight to the skewer.
10 minStep 5: Grill 10 cm above the coals for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until browned all over and firm. Grill 4 tomatoes alongside until blistered. The kebab is done when the centre reaches 160°F and the juices run clear.
10 minStep 6: Toss 1 red onion with 2 tsp sumac. Slide the kebabs onto 4 lavash bread, add the onion, tomatoes and 1 oz fresh coriander, dill and basil and roll up to eat. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lula kebab take?
- About 42 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground coriander?
- Coriander seeds, toasted and ground.
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