Lamb Brochettes

Middle Eastern cultures invented the meatball and consider it a high art form.  You will too after you try these:

Brochettes de Kefta

2 lbs lamb, finely ground
2 onions, grated
3 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 T. chopped cilantro
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. cinnamon

Mix and knead vigorously until very smooth and pasty.  Wet hands and divide into 32 egg-sized lumps.  Press firmly around small, square-bladed skewers, twon on each, formed into thin sausage shapes.  Cook 4-5 minutes under broiler or in grill.

Serve dribbled with 4 T. olive oil mixed with juice of 1 lemon.

Var:
mix meat and onion with 3 T. chopped cilantro, 3 T chopped mint, 2 t. ground cumin, S&P

Chicken or Lamb Mughlai

Mughlai chicken with almonds and sultanas

Very much a dinner party dish nice with rice, cauliflower with potatoes, Yogurt with walnuts and coriander.   This is mild. Personally, I usually double the spices.

Serves 6

1” fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped

8-9 cloves garlic, peeled

6 T. slivered almoncs

4 T. water

7 T. vegetable oil

3 lb. chicken pieces, skinned (use paper towel to grasp skin) (or subsitute cubed lamb)

10 whole cardamom pods

1” stick cinnamon

2 bay leaves

5 whole cloves

2 med onions, peeled and minced

2 t. ground cumin

1/8- 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

7 T. plain yoghurt

1 1/4 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 t. salt

1-2 T. golden raisins

1/4 t. garam masala

Put ginger-water in blender to make paste.  Heat oil in deep, large fry pan or pot on med-high.  When hot, put in as many chicken pieces as you can in a single layer.  Let chicken turn golden brown on bottom, turn, brown other side.  Remove and but in bowl.  

Put cardamom to cloves in same oil.  Stir and fry a few seconds.  Add onions, stir and fry 3-4 minutes, until light brown.  Put in paste from blender, cumin, cayenne. Stir and fry 2-3 minutes until oil seems to separate and spices are lightly browned.  Add 1 T. of yogurt.  Stir and fry 30 seconds.  Add by tablespoons in this manner to incorporate all yogurt.

Put in chicken and any chicken juices, cream and salt.  Simmer.  Cover and cook gently on low, 20 min.  Add raisins and turn over chicken.  Cover and cook another 10 minutes, until chicken is tender.  Add garam masala.  Stir to mix.  

Put remaining almonds on cookie sheet under grill until toasted.  Watch carefully, tossing frequently.  Sprinkle over chicken when served. 

(Extra fat may be spooned off the top just before serving.  Whole spices not meant to be eaten)