Persian-Style Lamb Kebabs

Time: 1.5 hours | Serves: 4–6 Nature: Hot | Flavor: Sour, Acrid, Sweet

Ingredients

2 lbs ground lamb (or 1/2 lamb and 1/2 beef)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground saffron dissolved in 1 TBL rose water, or 1 tsp of turmeric
2 TBL sumac, ground
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 large white onion, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
Zest of 1 lime

For the kebab mix: Combine all the ingredients together in a large metal bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands until the meat feels slightly sticky, 3–5 minutes. Cover the mix tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Using damp hands, divide the meat mixture into balls about the size of lemons. Shape each into a 5-inch long sausage and mold it around a flat metal skewer. Pinch the ends to secure it to the skewer and place on a baking sheet. Cover until it is time to cook. Alternatively, if you don't have skewers, you can shape the meat into flat football shapes and cook them on a grill or even in a frying pan.
For the baste, melt the butter and combine with lime juice. Keep warm near your cooking area.
Cook your kebabs over charcoal ideally or over gas if you're in a rush. Keep the kebabs near the flames, turning frequently for about 3–5 minutes. Be careful because the fat can be very flammable. Baste just before removing from the fire.