Morocco — Spicy Fig Lamb Kefta Wraps
Spiced ground lamb kefta grilled on skewers and wrapped in warm flatbread with a Spicy Fig Relish-spiked yogurt-tahini sauce — North African street food at its most satisfying!
INGREDIENTS
• 17.9 ounces ground lamb
• 1 white onion, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 4 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish
• 7.1 ounces Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 garlic clove, minced, for sauce
• 4 flatbreads or khobz
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 0.5 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 0.5 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
STEPS
1. Mix and rest the kefta: Combine 17.9 ounces ground lamb, 1 white onion, grated, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoons smoked paprika, 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoons black pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is uniform and slightly sticky. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour — this lets the spices bloom into the meat.
2. Make the Spicy Fig yogurt-tahini sauce: Stir 7.1 ounces Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons tahini, 1 lemon, juiced, 1 garlic clove, minced, for sauce, and 4 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust — add more Spicy Fig Relish for heat and sweetness, more lemon for brightness. Set aside.
3. Shape the kefta: Divide the kefta mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each around a flat metal skewer, forming a sausage shape about 12cm long. Squeeze and press firmly so the meat grips the skewer — if it's too wet, refrigerate 15 more minutes.
4. Grill the kefta: Heat a grill or griddle pan over high heat and brush with 1 tablespoons olive oil. Grill kefta skewers for 4–5 minutes per side, turning carefully once, until charred in spots and cooked through. Don't rush the turn — the kefta needs to release naturally from the grill or it will break apart.
5. Warm the flatbreads: While the kefta grills, warm 4 flatbreads or khobz directly on the grill for 30–60 seconds per side until soft and slightly charred at the edges.
6. Build and serve: Spread a generous spoonful of the Spicy Fig yogurt-tahini sauce across each warm flatbread. Slide 2 kefta off their skewers onto the bread, then layer with 2 tomatoes, sliced, 0.5 cucumber, thinly sliced, and 0.5 red onion, thinly sliced. Add an extra drizzle of 4 tablespoons Spicy Fig Relish straight from the jar for a hit of pure fig heat, roll up and serve immediately.
NOTES
Grating the onion rather than chopping it is the traditional Moroccan technique — it disperses moisture and flavor evenly through the meat without leaving chunky bits that fall off the skewer. Squeezing out the grated onion in a clean cloth before adding it to the lamb helps the kefta hold together better on the grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to stop them burning. Khobz is the traditional Moroccan round flatbread — any good flatbread works, but if you can find it, the slightly chewy, dense crumb is ideal for wrapping. The Spicy Fig Relish in the yogurt-tahini sauce is the move here: its sweet-tangy heat turns a straightforward dipping sauce into something that tastes like it belongs on every Moroccan table.
