Tunisia's take on the minced skewer runs hotter than its neighbors, seasoning ground lamb or beef with harissa, dried mint, and caraway before grilling. Typically stuffed into baguette or mlawi flatbread with fiery mechouia salad.
Also known as: kefta tunisienne, Tunisian kofta skewers, brochettes tunisiennes, kefteji skewers
Watch it made
Ingredients
- 500 g minced lamb or beef (about 20% fat)
- 1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 2 tbsp harissa, plus extra to serve
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp ground caraway
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 15 g parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- pita or baguette, to serve
How to make it
- 1
Knead the mince with onion, harissa, dried mint, caraway, coriander, parsley and salt for 3-4 minutes until sticky and cohesive.
- 2
Chill 30 minutes, then press the meat around flat skewers into sausages about 12 cm long.
- 3
Cook over medium-hot coals 8-10 minutes, rolling every couple of minutes so the harissa crust darkens without burning.
- 4
Slide off the skewers into warm bread with extra harissa loosened with a little olive oil.
Pro tip: Caraway, not cumin, is the Tunisian signature — grind it fresh and the brochettes smell unmistakably of Tunis.
