Lamb kafta with cucumber salad, hummus wrapped in lettuce

Tonight I was really craving for Sarah's Mediterranean grill. There is one dish there that I always get and that is kafta beef. I go there so often that the owner sees me coming in, automatically put the kabob on the grill before I even order. Fernando and Jose also love this dish.

Like I said, I was craving the kafta beef, but Fernando says he is particularly busy today with testing and can't take time out to go to the restaurant. So after I finish my running (I run around Costco and whole food south) I stop by whole foods and brought 1 and half lb of ground lamb and a cucumber and try to reproduce it. I must say it came out even better then what I expect. Jose says is better than the one sold in Sarah's. Jose served with rice but Fernando and I just wrapped in lettuce paired with hummus and cucumber yogurt salad.

Kafta lamb
This recipe needs a lot of spices luckily we have pretty well stocked pantry, having the right tools, like mini food processor and kitchen aid mixer also makes cooking so much easier and enjoyable. I can't imagine without them. This recipe makes 6 portions. 1/4 lb kabob each.
1) blend one small onion and 3-4 cloves of garlic in the food processor.
2) put 1&1/2 lb of ground lamb in the mixer bowl then add the garlic, onion mix. To it add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of salt,1&1/2 tablespoon of coriander, 2 teaspoon of cumin, 1&1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of all spice, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Add a big bunch of chopped parsley
3) mix it with mixer for 3 minutes or so at medium speed.
4) separate the content into 6 equal size balls and use our hands to form a long patty along the metal skewer.
5) cook them in the hot grill for 4 min each side

Israel rice:
This rice was inspired by an Israel man who I met in a hostel in bariloche, Argentina. Mom and I met him and another Australian doctor at the hostel and really enjoyed each others company so we decided to rented a car to tour the many lake around the area. He (can't remember his name now) showed me how he made this rice with limited ingredients
1) wash basmati or jasmin rice I use 1&1/2 cup
2) add some butter to a heavy pot like le cuset. Add 1/2 onion and a garlic to brown. Add dry dill, oregano, dry chive, and fresh mint (he only use oregano, but I had lots of other spice so I decided to go for it, I think dill in particular adds a nice flavor, but oregano would do if that is all u have) add a handful of raisins and sliced almond.
3) add the rice and stir it until its coated with oil. Add 1&1/2 cup of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 20 min.

Cucumber yogurt salad
1) dice 1 cucumber (I think skin has a lot of nutrients so I just wash organic cucumber well and dice it with the skin on )
2) add cucumber to 1 cup of yogurt. Add some fresh mint if you have it. Add a pinch of salt



Ninja pantry items used: