Back street kofta kebabs

“Tucked away in Istanbul's Eminonu market, I found an esnaf lokantasi (workers’ café) specialising in kofta, a kebab made from ground beef or lamb, then mixed with onions and spices. While these traditional kebabs are always prepared the same way, following a recipe that’s been handed down through the generations, I convinced the owner to let me use his kitchen to make my own version. My kofta were larger than the traditional cigar-sized kebabs in the restaurant, but you can make whatever size you like. If you do want to make large ones, it’s a good idea to mould them around long flat metal skewers that won’t burn on the barbecue like bamboo skewers do.” Ainsley Harriott, Ainsley Harriott's Street Food