Kafta Meshwiye (كفتة مشوية)

Kafta meshwiye is the centrepiece of the Lebanese mezze grill — elongated cylinders of hand-ground lamb and beef, fragrant with parsley, onion, and seven-spice, cooked over charcoal until charred and juicy. Served with flatbread, tahini, and a simple tomato-onion salad, it is the defining Lebanese dinner-party dish.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) ground (minced) lamb
• 250g (9 oz) ground (minced) beef (20% fat)
• 1 medium onion, very finely grated
• 40g (1.5 oz) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1½ tsp (7ml) Lebanese seven-spice (baharat)
• ½ tsp (2ml) ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp (2ml) ground allspice
• 1 tsp (5ml) fine salt
• ½ tsp (2ml) black pepper
• 8 flat metal skewers
• Flatbread, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion, and tahini, to serve

Instructions

1. Combine lamb, beef, grated onion, parsley, seven-spice, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix very thoroughly with your hands for 3–4 minutes — the mixture should become sticky and homogeneous. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare a charcoal grill or gas grill to high heat. Oil the grates well.
3. Divide the meat into 8 portions. With wet hands, mould each portion around a flat metal skewer into a thin sausage shape, about 18cm (7 inches) long. Squeeze firmly so it adheres.
4. Grill over high direct heat for 4–5 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until charred and cooked through. Do not over-handle or they will fall apart.
5. Slide off skewers onto a warm platter. Serve immediately with warm flatbread, sliced tomatoes, raw onion rings, fresh parsley, and tahini sauce.

Cook's Notes: The fat content of the meat is critical — too lean and kafta will be dry and crumbly. Ask your butcher for coarsely ground lamb shoulder or grind it yourself with visible fat. For indoor cooking, a ribbed cast-iron griddle on maximum heat works well.