Kofta in Pita Pockets with Cucumber Tomato Salad

Recipe from Weber’s Greatest Hits by Jamie Purviance

Serves: 6 |  Prep time: 25 minutes | Grilling time: 7 - 9 minutes

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup chopped English cucumber
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• Kosher salt

Kofta

• 1½  pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
• ½ cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1½  teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½  teaspoons kosher salt
• ½  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 whole-wheat pita breads Extra-virgin olive oil

Lemon Yogurt Sauce

• 2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt 
•  1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 
•  ½ cup fresh lemon juice 
•  ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves 2
•  medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The sauce can be made up to 2 hours ahead.)
2. In a medium bowl combine the cucumber, tomatoes, and onion, stir to mix, and season with salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl mix together all the kofta ingredients with your hands. Gently shape the mixture into six patties of equal size and about 3/4 inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty to prevent it from doming as it cooks. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.
4. Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium-high heat (400° to 500°F).
5. Lightly sprinkle the pita breads with water and wrap them in aluminum foil, sealing the packet closed.
6. Brush the cooking grates clean. Brush the patties on both sides with oil. Grill over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to medium doneness (160°F), 7 to 9 minutes, turning once. At the same time, warm the pita packet over indirect medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill.
7. Cut each pita in half. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of the salad into each pita half. Spoon some of the dressing over the salad. Place a patty into each pita half and spoon in more dressing, if desired. Serve warm.