Recipe

Step 1: Put the red chili and garlic in a mini food processor with a good pinch of salt and grind to a smooth paste. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and olive oil and blend until lovely and smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the lamb and mix everything together until all the meat is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator if time allows.

Step 2: Soak four wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. This will stop them from burning under the grill later.

Step 3: To make the bulgur wheat salad, cook the bulgur wheat in a saucepan of boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until tender but still with just a little bite. Transfer to a strainer, rinse with cold water and drain, squeezing out any excess water with your hands. Tip into a mixing bowl and add the sundried tomatoes, onion, red chili, dill, parsley, lemon juice and oil and season with a really good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything together until the all the ingredients are well combined.

Step 4: Preheat the grill to high. Divide the lamb into four portions and push onto the four pre-soaked skewers. Place under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the lamb is golden brown on the outside and pink and juicy in the middle. Serve hot with the bulgur salad, a dollop of plain yogurt, an extra grind of pepper and a scattering of dill sprigs. Goes well with this Nigella Seed Salad.

See more recipes from John Gregory-Smith.

Reprinted with permission from John Gregory-Smith’s Mighty Spice Cookbook (2011 Duncan Baird).