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1
Cut the meat in chunks, then blend in the food processor to a soft paste, adding salt and pepper.
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2
Put it in a bowl with the parsley and the onion-drained of juicesand knead well with your hand until well blended.
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3
Divide the meat into 8 balls and wrap each one around a skewer, pressing firmly so that it holds together in a long, flat sausage shape.
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4
Place the skewers on an oiled grill over a fire, or on a rack under the broiler, and cook for 58 minutes, turning over once or more, until lightly browned.
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5
Serve with warmed pita bread or on top of those very thin Arab flatbreads or with rice or bulgur.
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6
Slice 1 large onion thinly and sprinkle generously with salt.
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7
Leave for 30 minutes, until the juices run out and it loses its strong flavor.
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8
Then rinse and drain and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sumac.
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9
Serve on a bed of chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint mixed with 1 thinly sliced onion and sprinkled with 1 tablespoon sumac.
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10
Serve with chopped flat-leaf parsley and diced lemon (the lemon is peeled and cut into tiny cubes).
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11
Serve with 8 or more broiled cherry tomatoes.
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12
Roast 4 long, mild green peppers (you find them in Middle Eastern stores) until softened.
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13
In Turkey they serve kofta kebab on a bed of yogurt beaten with a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and chopped parsley and mint, and topped with chopped tomatoes.
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14
Use chopped fresh mint as well as parsley.
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15
Add to the meat mixture 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon allspice.
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16
Add to the meat 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed.
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17
Add 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes or a pinch of chili pepper.
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18
Instead of pressing the meat on skewers, you can make it into hamburgers and grill them or cook them in a pan filmed lightly with oil.
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19
Cut long, thin eggplants into 1 1/2-inch slices and thread them in between lumps of kofta.
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20
The skin protects the flesh from drying out.
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21
This is a specialty of Aleppo.
