Lamb Koftas with a Minted Yoghurt Sauce

Make the Minted Yoghurt Sauce  Recipe   and put in the fridge.

Use a sharp knife to remove all the skin and most of the fat from the shoulder and cut into chunks. Peel an onion and cut into quarters.

Mince the lamb on a coarse blade of a manual mincing machine followed by the onion, put into a large bowl.

Put the cumin seed and coriander seed into a thick bottomed pan over a medium heat. Shake until they seeds are cracking , then transfer to a mortar and use the pestle to thoroughly grind.

Chop some (preferably) flat leaf parsley to deliver a good couple of tablespoonfuls.

Add three or four teaspoonfuls of ground cumin/coriander depending on the size of the shoulder, see note, and add into minced lamb along with the parsley.

Add three to four teaspoonfuls of salt and a good grind of black pepper to the lamb and mix thoroughly with a fork. Take the minted yoghurt out of the fridge.

Use a big spoon to form the koftas  Picture  , lightly paint each kofta with some olive oil. Put the griddle over a low heat until hot, put the koftas on the griddle and cook for about six minutes, turn over and cook for another six minutes.

Meanwhile put some leaves on to the serving plates, and quickly warm the pita under the grill. When ready put the koftas on the leaves, add some minted yoghurt, add some pita and serve  Zoom  .