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1
Put the lamb, onion, parsley, mint, ras el hanout, and salt in a bowl.
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2
Mix with your hands until blended.
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3
Fry a small amount of the mixture in a nonstick skillet to taste the seasoning.
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4
Adjust if necessary.
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5
Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions, each weighing roughly 2 ounces.
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6
With lightly oiled hands, mold each portion around a 12-inch bamboo or metal skewer, forming a neat sausage shape about 6 inches long and squeezing the meat so it clings to the skewer.
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7
You can assemble the kebabs several hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.
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8
For the cumin salt: Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet constantly until the seeds are fragrant and beginning to smoke.
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9
Pound them fine in a mortar, then stir in the salt.
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10
Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high.
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11
Lightly oil the grill with a rag dipped in vegetable oil.
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12
If you are using bamboo skewers, prepare two doubled sheets of aluminum foil that you can position underneath the exposed ends of the skewers so they dont burn.
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13
Place the skewers on the grill so that the exposed ends rest over the foil.
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14
(If you are using metal skewers, you dont need to take this precaution.)
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15
Grill, turning as needed, until the lamb is firm to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes.
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16
Serve 2 skewers per person, accompanying each portion with a lemon wedge and a small ramekin of cumin salt.
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17
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Carneros Syrah or another substantial red wine.
