Kofta rewards a hot, clean fire and a light touch. This version keeps the seasoning familiar, builds colour over direct charcoal, and finishes with sumac onions and tahini for the kind of platter that belongs in the middle of the table.

Ingredients

For the kofta

• 1 kg minced beef with enough fat to stay juicy
• 1 small onion, finely grated and squeezed dry
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 packed handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1½ teaspoons fine salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the table

• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Tahini sauce, warm flatbread and parsley

Method

1. Make the sumac onions. Toss the sliced onions with sumac, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Leave them to soften while the fire comes together.
2. Mix without overworking. Combine the kofta ingredients until evenly distributed. Stop once the mixture holds together; heavy mixing makes the texture dense.
3. Shape and chill. Form 12–14 short logs around flat skewers, or shape them by hand. Chill for 20 minutes so they firm up.
4. Build a two-zone fire. Bank fully lit charcoal to one side. Leave the other side clear so you can move the kofta away from flare-ups.
5. Cook over direct heat. Grill, turning every 2–3 minutes, until deeply browned and cooked through. Ground meat should reach 71°C in the centre.
6. Rest and serve. Rest for 3 minutes, then serve with sumac onions, tahini, flatbread and plenty of herbs.

Fire note: If fat causes flames, move the kofta to the cool zone rather than spraying the coals with water.

Why this works

Squeezing the onion removes excess water, helping the surface brown instead of steam. The cool zone gives you control without sacrificing the flavour of direct charcoal.

Cooking times are a guide. Use a food thermometer and cook ground meat to a safe internal temperature.