Stuffed Lamb Pita
This is a twist on a traditional bbq dinner that can also be really easily cooked on the pan also. I love the char that BBQs give on the lamb, so if it’s summer and nice weather and you have a BBQ, I would recommend trying it out instead of burgers some evening. The bulgur salad is pretty similar to middle eastern tabbouleh, but just with less herbs. The lamb is nice and spicy but the salad and mint yoghurt dressing cools it down nicely. This is zesty, spicy and packed full of delicious middle eastern flavours. Just as handy as sticking some burgers or chicken skewers on the BBQ but something just a little bit different.
Ingredients
Makes 8 sausages | X calories per serving
For bulgur salad
bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
handful fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 packet cherry tomatoes, seeds removed & quartered
salt & pepper (to taste)
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup bulgur soaked in 2 cups veg stock, until absorbed
drizzle of olive oil
For lamb
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted (or can use ground version already)
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted (or can use ground version)
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted (or can use ground coriander)
400g lamb mince
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp cayenne pepper (use less if you want less spicy)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
To serve
8 pitta breads
200ml natural yoghurt
2 tsp mint sauce
Method
First get your meat ready as it tastes best when left to marinate for at least 30 mins. Toast your seeds (if using). If using ground spices you can skip this step. When seeds are aromatic take off the heat and blitz in food processor or use pestle & mortar to form powder.
To a large bowl, add your ground spices that you just toasted and all the remaining ingredients. Form into 8 sausage like shapes and set aside.
Soak your wooden skewers in water (if using).
To make the salad, make sure your bulgur has absorbed all the stock. Fluff up with a fork, like you would with cous cous. Add all your chopped herbs & veg. Season with lemon, salt & pepper and olive oil and set aside in the fridge.
To make yoghurt dressing add 2 tsp of mint sauce to the natural yoghurt and place in the fridge.
Heat your BBQ to 200 Celcius (or if using a pan place on a medium heat, no need to add oil as it is in your lamb mix already and lamb will release a lot of fat).
Skewer your lamb, I used 2 sausages per skewer. When BBQ heated, place lamb on the grill for roughly 10-15mins until nicely coloured on all sides. Turn frequently to get a good colour on all sides.
For the last few mins of the lamb cooking, heat your pitta bread on the BBQ too.
I find this tastes best when the salad, lamb & yoghurt dressing is stuffed inside a warm pitta. Enjoy!
