- 500 g extremely fresh lean lamb
- 100 g onion, finely grated
- 25 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 30 g red pepper paste
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground allspice
- 2 g ground chili
- 8 g salt
- 40 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 500 g ice, for keeping the meat cold
- 200 g flatbread, for serving
- 250 g fresh vegetables, for serving
Ask a trusted butcher for extremely fresh, chilled lean lamb, transported cold, then carefully sanitize your knife, board, bowl, and hands before beginning the preparation.
Trim every visible membrane and excess fat from the lamb, cut it into small cubes, and chill them briefly to maintain a firm, cold texture.
Process the lamb in short pulses until finely minced, keeping the mixture cold, then transfer it immediately into a clean bowl securely set over ice.
Add grated onion, parsley, mint, red pepper paste, cumin, allspice, chili, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice, mixing gently until evenly seasoned throughout completely well.
Shape the mixture into a shallow oval on a cold serving plate, score decorative lines across the surface, and drizzle lightly with additional olive oil.
Serve immediately with crisp vegetables and flatbread, never leave the raw meat at room temperature, and discard any remaining leftovers rather than storing them later.
Pregnant people, young children, older adults, and anyone immunocompromised should avoid raw meat and choose fully cooked kafta prepared to a safe internal temperature instead.