Lamb Kebabs with Cardamom Rice
For The Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups mixed brown, white and black rice pilaf
- 5 cardamom pods
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan with tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add rice, stir to coat kernels in oil and let toast slightly. Add cardamom pods and 3 cups of water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to low and let cook until water is absorbed and rice is both tender and flavorful. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
For Yogurt Sauce
- 1 1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For Grilled Lamb Kebabs
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground oregano leaves, crumble to powder
- 2 teaspoons ground mint leaves, crumble to powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds trimmed lamb loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
- olive oil
- 1 pinch cherry tomatoes
- Several sprigs fresh cilantro, for serving
Combine spices, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rinse lamb cubes and pat dry. Toss lamb in spice mixture until meat is well coated. Heat grill to medium high. Thread lamb cubes onto skewers. Brush meat with olive oil and arrange skewers over hot grill. Grill for several minutes on each side until well charred and meat is cooked to desired temperature - about 5 minutes total for medium rare depending on the heat of grill. Meanwhile place tomatoes on a sheet of tinfoil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Make a makeshift bundle out of foil and place on grill. Grill until tomatoes skins start to burst and tomatoes are hot. Serve kebabs with rice, yogurt sauce, grilled tomatoes and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.