Australian Lamb Kebabs with Turmeric Dipping Sauce and Red Cabbage Slaw
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If I had my own TV show, this episode would be called Diet Assassinista – Australian Lamb Around The World!
You know that I love global cuisine and that I’m constantly tinkering with takes on traditional dishes. So it may not surprise you that I recently asked myself, “What dish could be more global than lamb kebabs?”
With origins in the Middle East and various recipes across Europe, Africa, and Asia, nearly the entire world enjoys at least one, if not multiple recipes for kebab. If that tells me anything, that means that this is one dish that the world can get behind.
Serving kebabs with Australian ground lamb is a great place to start when you want to mix up your dinner routine because Australian lamb is an aussome carrier for international flavors. Plus, the ingredients are all easy to source!
In my household, our dinner routine gravitates toward an Iranian recipe for “Kabob Koobideh.” The essence of koobideh is represented below, but instead of serving kebabs over rice with grilled tomatoes, I added some variety to the traditional dish by including a turmeric dipping sauce and a healthful red cabbage slaw.
And OH how that turmeric dipping sauce pairs with the mouthwatering lamb! It’s a delightful experience, but I’ll let you find out for yourself when you make this recipe.
As satisfying as this dish is easy to put together, you can add variety to your dinner routine by playing with this unique take on kebabs. And since Australian lamb is the number one source of quality lamb in the United States, you know that when you choose your proteins wisely, your recipes have every component they need to taste amazing!
To find out more about how you can cook with Australian lamb this Spring season, be sure to check out True Aussie Beef & Lamb’s website with an interactive cooking tool as well as recipes that are perfect for Mother’s Day.
Australian Lamb Kebabs with Turmeric Dipping Sauce and Red Cabbage Slaw
Total Time: 1 Hour
Serves 8
Red Cabbage Slaw
4 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Australian Lamb Kebabs
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 ½ pounds ground Australian lamb
1 tsp kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp sumac powder, plus additional to garnish
1 tsp baking powder
2 egg yolks
12 flat metal skewers
Turmeric Dipping Sauce
5 oz whole Greek yogurt
1 tbsp honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tsp harissa powder (optional)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare the red cabbage slaw by combining the cabbage, tomatoes, garlic, green onions, cucumber, mint, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and transfer to the refrigerator.
For the Australian lamb kebabs, pulse the chopped garlic and onions in a food processor until finely chopped.
Combine the onion mixture in a large bowl with ground Australian lamb, kosher salt, black pepper, turmeric, sumac powder, baking powder, and egg yolks. Knead thoroughly.
With a small bowl of water at your side to keep hands moist, portion the Australian lamb mixture into 12 sausage-shaped cylinders and arrange on a platter. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Holding a metal skewer in one hand, skewer the lamb straight through the middle of the meat. Gently shape the lamb along both sides and arrange on a platter or small baking sheet. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to grill.
Preheat grill over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the turmeric dipping sauce. In a small food processor or blender, blend the Greek yogurt, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, turmeric, harissa powder, salt, and pepper.
Grill the kebabs for a few seconds on one side until the color changes slightly. Gently turn over and cook for one minute on all sides, until golden brown and the meat is cooked through. Arrange the kebabs on a platter and sprinkle with sumac to garnish.
Serve kebabs on plates with the turmeric dipping sauce and cabbage slaw on the side.
If you loved this recipe, you will also love my recipes for: Australian Lamb with Spring Pea Risotto, Herb-Crusted Australian Rack of Lamb, and Comforting Lamb Pie with Red Wine and Rosemary!
