Spiced lamb and barberry kababs

Name: Spiced lamb and barberry kababs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT12-15M
Total time: 32 min
Yield: Makes 10-12 kababs (to serve 6)
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 large onions; 1kg British lamb mince (see Know How); 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 heaped tbsp pul biber (aleppo chilli flakes); 1 tbsp ground cumin; 4 tbsp barberries (find these on Amazon – or swap in dried cranberries); 4 tbsp tomato purée; Finely grated zest 2 oranges; Bunch (30g) flatleaf parsley, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 100g shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped; For the salad; 2 bunches (60g) flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped; 2 red onions, very finely sliced into half moons; Juice ½ lemon; 1 heaped tbsp sumac; 150g pomegranate seeds; Flatbreads to serve; Plain yogurt with a spoonful of harissa swirled in (optional) to serve

By: Sabrina Ghayour

Published: 25 Nov 22
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Get ready for the juiciest, most flavourful lamb kababs you’ve ever tasted. Sabrina Ghayour shares her recipe for spiced lamb kababs with barberries. Serve with a herby pomegranate salad and flatbreads to soak up the delicious juices.

Barberries also work in sweet dishes, like this festive orange, barbery and sumac cheesecake.

Sabrina’s story: A British-Iranian chef and bestselling food writer, Sabrina is known for her flavour-packed recipes with an emphasis on Persian and Middle Eastern cuisines. She runs cookery classes and supper clubs, and has written six cookbooks. The latest, Persiana Everyday (Aster £26), is out now. Follow her on Instagram @sabrinaghayour

Makes 10-12 kababs (to serve 6)
Hands-on time 20 min. Oven time 12-15 min

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Ingredients

2 large onions
1kg British lamb mince (see Know How)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 heaped tbsp pul biber (aleppo chilli flakes)
1 tbsp ground cumin
4 tbsp barberries (find these on Amazon – or swap in dried cranberries)
4 tbsp tomato purée
Finely grated zest 2 oranges
Bunch (30g) flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100g shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

For the salad

2 bunches (60g) flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 red onions, very finely sliced into half moons
Juice ½ lemon
1 heaped tbsp sumac
150g pomegranate seeds
Flatbreads to serve
Plain yogurt with a spoonful of harissa swirled in (optional) to serve

Method

Heat the oven to its highest setting and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Peel and roughly chop the onions, then put in a food processor and whizz into a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer the paste into a clean tea towel and wring out as much liquid as you can (see tips). Put the strained onions into a large mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and a large pinch of salt, saving some pistachios to garnish.
Using your hands, work the ingredients together really well, pummelling the meat for several minutes into a smooth paste.
Divide the mixture into 10-12 portions, form into sausage shapes, then, using the flat of your thumb and forefinger, gently pinch the meat widthways from one end of the kebab to the other at intervals to create the classic wavy ridges (if the mixture is a little too sticky to shape, wet your hands with cold water before shaping each kabab). Put on the prepared baking tray (see Make Ahead). Cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the salad by mixing the parsley and red onions in a large bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice, sprinkle with the sumac and pomegranate seeds, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then toss well to combine.
Serve the kababs on top of the flatbreads (so they soak up all the lovely juices), with the remaining pistachios scattered over them and the parsley salad and yogurt (if using) alongside.

Recipe from December 2022 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 726kcals
Fat: 55g (23.7g saturated)
Protein: 33.6g
Carbohydrates: 21.2g (18.4g sugars)
Fibre: 5.9g
Salt: 1.2g

delicious. tips

It’s important to get as much liquid out of the whizzed onions as possible – so really go to town when you’re squeezing and wringing out the tea towel. If there’s too much liquid left in them when they’re added to the meat mixture, the kababs will be too soft and sticky to shape properly.
Mix and shape the kababs up to 24 hours in advance, then keep them covered in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.
A high fat content is crucial for these kababs – less fat means they’ll have a drier, crumbly texture, rather than being juicy, bouncy and deeply flavourful. You can get 20% fat lamb mince from supermarkets, but it’s well worth getting 30% fat lamb mince from a butcher if you can.

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