Lyulya Kebab A properly prepared lyulya kebab calls for the choicest possible lamb delicately seasoned with spices and herbs, and most important of all — the whole secret of a good lyulya kebab — vigorously kneaded into a very smooth, almost white, meat paste. Lyulya kebab are supposed to be grilled on special flat skewers that can support the ground meat; when grilling on regular skewers they sometimes fall off — so be careful! 2 pounds boneless leg or shoulder of lamb with just a little fat, cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces 2 large onions 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water 1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika Sumakh for garnish Lavash or pita breads Thin red onion rings Fresh, ripe tomato quarters Fresh herb sprigs (mint, cilantro, tarragon, and watercress) 1 bunch scallions (green onions), trimmed If grinding the lamb yourself, quarter the onions, put the lamb, with the fat and onions, through the meat grinder twice. If the lamb was already ground by the butcher, grate the onion and add it to the meat. Combine the ground lamb with the garlic, cumin, chopped herbs, cayenne, salt and pepper, and just enough water to give a firm consistency. Knead very thoroughly until smooth, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Have ready 6 long metal skewers, preferably flat. Wet your hands with cold water. Shape the lamb mixture into 3½-inch-long sausages around the skewers. The sausages should sit on skewers tightly. Sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Prepare hot coals for grilling until coated with white ash, or preheat the broiler. Oil the grill or broiler rack well. Grill or broil the kebabs 3 inches away from the heat, carefully turning to brown evenly on all sides, until well done, about 13 minutes. Serve the kebabs on the skewers, sprinkled with sumakh and accompanied by lavash or pita breads, red onion rings, tomato quarters, fresh herbs, and scallions. Serves 6. From "Please to the Table" by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman. middle eastern recipe index christina m k al-sudairy buy the book!