When I set about to find a way to cook an entire Indian meal on my 53-inch Viking grill I didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Indian dishes that are cooked in a tandoori oven are perfect for the grill.
These Kofta "Burgers" are a simple version of a popular Indian skewered ground meat dish. Turning the mixture into burgers is an American twist, but using naan bread instead of buns and cooling things off with a classic cucumber Raita makes these fairly close to the classic.
Be sure to combine the ground meat mixture several hours before you plan to grill the burgers to allow the flavors to meld.
Kofta "Burgers" with Raita
For the Burgers:
- 1/2 small onion, cut into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or lamb
- 6 naan or pita breads
For the Raita:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and grated
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Burgers: Place all ingredients except the ground meat in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until the mixture forms a paste. Place the ground meat in a bowl and stir in the mixture from the food processor. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
When ready to serve, heat a grill to medium-high. While the grill heats, form the meat mixture into 6 patties. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, until desired doneness is reached. Serve in the naan or pita bread with the Raita.
For the Raita: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Makes 6 servings.
