Simit Kebabi; Ground Lamb and Bulgur Kebabs, Gaziantep Style

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Simit Kebabi; Ground Lamb and Bulgur Kebabs, Gaziantep Style

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1 lb. ground (minced) lamb
⅓ cup fine bulgur (or coarse bulgur, grounded to fine bulgur in food processor)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
⅓ cup hot water
3 tsp. red pepper flakes (or a bit less if you prefer less spicy)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bowl of water to shape the simit kebab on skewers
For the roasted vegetables:
2 medium eggplants (aubergines) quartered and sliced
1 medium onion, quartered and coarsely chopped
1 red bell (or pointy) pepper and 1 green bell (or pointy) pepper, deseeded and cut in chunks
4 tbsp. olive oil
For the garlicy yoghurt sauce:
1 ½ cups plain whole milk yoghurt
1 small clove of garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Place the fine bulgur in a bowl and pour in the hot water. Combine well and set aside for 10 – 15 minutes for the bulgur to absorb all the water and soften. Place the soften bulgur in a large mixing bowl and stir in the garlic, ground (minced) meat, red pepper flakes, ground cumin and dried mint. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Have a bowl of water by your side. Wet your hands and knead the mixture well for 5 – 8 minutes, until all combined. Wet your hands and take a large lump of the meat mixture – just a bit less than ½ cup and form into a ball. Mold it around and along the skewer, until it is evenly thick. Squeeze and shape the meat gently so that the meat sticks to the skewer. Work meat around and down the skewer while rotating skewer with bottom hand until kebab is ¾" in diameter. Cover the skewered meat in cling film and refrigerate until firm, for about 30 minutes. Now prepare your vegetables. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the eggplants (aubergines) lengthways in zebra stripes. Cut the eggplants lengthways, and then slice about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle some salt over them and leave for about 15 minutes. Squeeze out their moisture with paper towel. On a baking tray, spread the eggplant slices, chopped onions and the colorful peppers. Drizzle 4 tbsp. the olive oil over them and season with salt and black pepper. Coat all the pieces with olive oil and seasoning. Bake in the preheated oven for about for about 35 minutes, until they are chargrilled around the edges. To bake the Simit Kebabi, grease a baking tray and arrange the prepared kebab skewers side by side. Sprinkle 3 tbsp. water over them and place a (heat resistant) bowl of water at the bottom of the oven (this will keep the kebabs moist). Bake the kebabs for 35 – 40 minutes, turning them half way around. You can also grill the kebabs over a medium charcoal fire, turning frequently in the same direction. Or you can grill kebabs on hottest part of grill, turning as needed, until slightly charred and cooked through, for 12-15 minutes. To make garlicy yoghurt; crush a small garlic clove with salt and chop finely. Stir in to the yoghurt and combine well. Serve the Simit Kebab hot, along with the roasted vegetables, garlicy yoghurt and flat breads. You can wrap the kebab and roasted vegetables with a dollop of garlicy yoghurt, in Turkish flat breads or pita pockets too.
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