Kofta

Grate the onion on the large side of a box grater directly into a bowl, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible — wet onion will make the kofta fall off the skewer. Combine with lamb, parsley, baharat, cumin, salt, and Aleppo pepper. Mix with your hands for a full 3 minutes, working and folding the mixture as though kneading bread. The mixture should become sticky and cohesive, almost elastic, as the myosin proteins bind. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm.

With wet hands, take roughly 90g of mixture (about the size of a golf ball) and press firmly around a flat metal skewer, moulding it into a cylinder about 12 cm long and 3 cm wide. Press hard enough to eliminate any air pockets — squeeze from the centre outward. Press the ends firmly closed. The kofta should feel solid and dense, not hollow. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water 30 minutes first. Alternatively, shape into patties for pan-frying.

Grill over very high, direct charcoal or gas heat. Do not touch for the first 3–4 minutes — let the kofta sear and release naturally from the grill. Turn once, cook another 3–4 minutes. Total cook time is 7–9 minutes for medium (still pink inside), which is the traditional target. An internal temperature of 63 C is medium. Rest on a rack for 3 minutes before serving with warm pita, tahini, and fattoush.