# Adana Kebabs · Serious Eats

Adana Kebabs · Serious Eats takes 45 min (10 min prep, 35 min cooking) and serves 6.

Recipe by seriouseats.com · original: https://www.seriouseats.com/adana-kebab-turkish-ground-lamb-kebab-recipe  
Cuisine: Turkish · Dish: Grills & kebabs  
On Meez: https://meezenplace.app/recipes/adana-kebabs-ground-lamb-kebabs-recipe (with step-by-step Cook Mode)

Grilled lamb seasoned with bright sumac and rich sun-dried pepper flakes.

## Ingredients (serves 6)

- 500 g (about 1 pound 2 ounces) ground lamb
- Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
- 2 tablespoons ground sumac, divided
- 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 pieces lavash or pita
- 1 cup picked fresh parsley leaves
- 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Pickled sport peppers or pepperoncini
- 2 tablespoons ground Urfa pepper flakes, divided

## Steps

1. For the Kebabs: Combine ground lamb with 7.5 grams (about 2 teaspoons) kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons sumac, and 1 tablespoon pepper flakes. Knead the mixture by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until it becomes tacky and starts sticking to the side of the bowl. Add ice-cold water and continue kneading until fully incorporated. Chill the lamb mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons sumac, remaining tablespoon pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl to create the spice mixture. Set the spice mixture aside. In a separate medium bowl, toss the red onions with the remaining 2 teaspoons sumac and season with salt to taste.
3. Using wet hands, divide the chilled lamb mixture into 12 even balls. Carefully form each ball into a long, flat kebab by shaping it around a skewer, keeping hands damp to prevent sticking.
4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, for a gas grill, set half the burners to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place kebabs directly over the hot side of the grill, cover, and cook, turning occasionally and sprinkling with the reserved spice mixture until well charred on both sides and cooked through, about 12 minutes total.
5. During the last few minutes of cooking, place lavash or pita bread directly on top of the kebabs in batches, heating the bread through on the grill.
6. Serve the kebabs with warm bread, sumac-seasoned onions, fresh parsley leaves, sliced tomatoes, and pickled sport peppers or pepperoncini.

## Good to know

### Swaps

No Urfa pepper flakes? Use Aleppo pepper or a mix of mild chile flakes and a pinch of smoked paprika.

### Storing it

Store leftover cooked kebabs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days; reheat in a skillet or oven until steaming hot. Keep bread, onions and tomatoes separate.

### Making it ahead

The lamb mixture can be seasoned, kneaded and chilled up to a day ahead, and the sumac onions can be tossed a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge.