These kabobs are a favourite in my household - even my one year old loves them. Most kabob recipes that have fresh vegetables in them get you to squeeze the juice out so that the kabobs fall apart. I like to keep all the juice in the veggies - just refrigerate the kabob mixture for a minimum of 2 hours so that the juice blends into the meat, and you've got the juiciest homemade kabobs you've ever had. And don't skip out on the sides, they elevated the kabobs to another level.
Red Pepper Kabobs
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes Cook Time: 12-15 minutes Yield: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the Kabobs
1 lb ground chicken
1 lb ground extra lean ground lamb
2 long red peppers
1 long green chili pepper (optional)
1 small white onion or 1/2 large white onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Turkish hot pepper flakes
1 tsp Turkish sweet pepper flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 & 1/2 - 3 tsp salt (adjust according to taste)
Olive oil, to cook
2-4 tbs ghee, melted
For the White Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp white sugar
1 tbs dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
For the Tomato Chutney
3 tomatoes
1 long green chili (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
To a food processor, add the peppers, onion, parsley and cilantro. Chop to finely mince, but don't grind it so much that it becomes completely liquid. You want to release some of the liquid from the vegetables, but don't want it to be like a smoothie. Rather, it should be finely chopped with some juice. Remove contents into a large mixing bowl - there's no need to squeeze out the excess liquid.
To the same bowl, add the ground chicken and lamb, along with the sumac, black pepper, hot and sweet pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Use your hands to mix very well to fully combine. Transfer mixture to an airtight container with a lid, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours (but overnight is even better).
While the kabob mixture is marinating, make the sauces. For the white sauce, add all of the ingredients for it to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and refrigerate covered until ready to use. For the tomato chutney, add all of the ingredients for it to the bowl of a food processor. Chop till you get a chunky paste like consistency. Remove contents to an airtight container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
When ready to make the kabobs, preheat a large skillet or grill pan to medium heat. Add 1-2 tbs olive oil to the pan, enough to cover the pan in a thin layer. Scoop the kabob mix into 1 inch balls, and use your hands to form a kabob shape. Once the pan is smoking, add the kabobs in a single layer, leaving a little bit of space between each one. Let it sit to develop a crust for 3-4 minutes, then gently begin turning them. Let them cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side, then you can start gently shaking the pan to cook evenly on all sides. Cook for a total of 12-15 minutes, or until the inside reaches a temperature of 165 F. Right before removing from the pan, brush the kabobs generously with the ghee, then take out the pan. Repeat process until all kabobs have been cooked.
Right before serving, brush the kabobs again with the remaining ghee, and serve with rice, naan and the white sauce and tomato chutney.
NOTES
If you don't have a food processor, do not chop the vegetables instead. It will not release enough liquid which is the key to keeping these kabobs moist and juicy. Rather, grate the pepper and onion so that it releases some of its liquids.
The longer the kabob mixture sits in the fridge, the better it will be. You can refrigerate the kabob mix for up to 48 hours in the fridge.