Nothing says summer like barbecued kebabs drizzled in a fresh, homemade sauce. 

Recipe: Nadia: A Seasonal Journal  Photo: Isabella Harrex

You can make the lamb mixture for these kebabs a day in advance. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the vegetables and mint, add to a bowl with the yoghurt, spices, salt and lamb and mix well with clean hands. For the sauce, finely chop the chilli and mint and combine with the remaining sauce ingredients.

Makes: 4 serves
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time
Cook time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

8 bamboo skewers
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 green chillies, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 red chilli, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 thumb ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ cup mint leaves
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
600g lamb mince

Chilli Mint Sauce:
1 green chilli, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 cup mint leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

To serve:
warmed flatbreads (recipe below, or storebought wraps or pita bread)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon sumac (optional)
natural unsweetened yoghurt
lemon wedges

METHOD

Put wooden skewers in a shallow dish and cover with water (soaking them stops them from burning on the barbecue or grill). Put all the kebab ingredients apart from the mince in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Then add the mince and pulse until just combined.

Divide mixture into 8 portions, roll each piece into a 20cm long roll and set aside on a tray. Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, make the chilli sauce. Put all sauce ingredients in a clean processor, blender or bullet and process until the mixture is almost smooth (keep a little bit of texture).

Preheat barbecue or grill pan on medium-high heat. Insert a skewer into each lamb kebab and brush with oil. Grill, turning 3-4 times, for about 12 minutes until cooked through (the kebabs should no longer be pink in the middle).

Serve kebabs in the flatbreads with red onion, tomato, sprinkled sumac (if using), yoghurt and Chilli Mint Sauce. Squeeze over lemon.

Tip: Make the Chilli Mint Sauce close to serving, as the lemon juice will make the mint go slightly brown.

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Flatbreads

Makes: 6 flatbreads
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups self-raising flour
just over ¾ cup water, milk or natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

METHOD

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Tip out onto a clean, dry surface dusted with a little flour and knead for 5 minutes or so until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.

Cut dough into 6 equal pieces, roll into balls, and set aside for at least 20 minutes to rest. You can leave the dough overnight on the bench at room temperature, but you’ll need to wrap it in plastic wrap to avoid it drying out.

Roll out each piece of flatbread dough to 15-18cm in diameter. Heat a heavy-bottomed (preferably cast iron) pan over medium heat. Brush one flatbread with oil on one side and put in the pan, oiled-side-down. Brush top side with oil in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on one side until bubbles start appearing, then use tongs to flip over and cook the other side until golden and a little charred in a few places.

Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.