Losh Kebab – Jazzed-up Armenian Hamburgers for an American Holiday

13 years ago

It’s summertime which means grilling time!

Our recipe of choice for the upcoming Fourth of July celebration is our good-old standby, losh kebab – an Armenian hamburger which is much like lule kebab.

Losh Kebab

It looks like a hamburger, but tastes like Armenian lule kebab due to its special ingredients.

1¼ lbs. ground lamb (Ground beef may be substituted or combined with the lamb.)
¼ cup onion (finely chopped)
¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 egg (beaten)
1 Tbsp. red pepper paste (1 Tbsp. tomato paste plus 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper may be substituted.)
1 tsp. ground coriander (or to taste)
½ tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ tsp. Aleppo red pepper (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, combine the beaten egg, red pepper (or tomato) paste, and seasonings. Blend well. Set aside.
Place meat, onions, parsley, and bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix well. Add the egg mixture to the meat, mixing well until all ingredients are well-blended. (NOTE: If you’re squeamish about handling raw meat and egg, you may want to wear non-powdered, sterile, disposable food preparation gloves for this step.)
Shape mixture into 4 or 5 good-sized patties.
These can be grilled, broiled, or pan-grilled to your preferred degree of doneness.
Serve with your choice of bread and your favorite side dishes.
Optional toppings: sliced tomato, onion, lettuce, * yogurt-garlic sauce – see recipe below in Notes.

*Yogurt-Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

16 oz. plain yogurt

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Mix well.

2. Chill until ready to serve, allowing flavors to blend. Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

NOTE: If you want a thicker sauce, use Greek yogurt or labne which is made fromGreek yogurt by lining a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the strainer over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the lined strainer. Cover with additional cheesecloth and weight it down. Place all in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Discard the excess liquid that collected in the bowl, and place the thickened yogurt (labne) in a separate storage container. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Main Course