Middle Eastern Kebobs with Toum

I adapted this recipe from one I found on Aarti Paarti.  (She has a video where you can watch how she makes the kebobs)  I made a few changes.  I used more garam masala, garlic and ginger.  This recipe uses pomegranate molasses which you can find at Middle Eastern or Indian grocery stores.  I had to grill these in two batches.  The molasses burns on the grill so I bunched up a paper towel and wiped the grill before I started the second batch.  You can adjust the amounts of fresh coriander and parsley.  I prefer more coriander and I think these would taste good even with just coriander. When adding the pomegranate molasses, after adding the first tablespoon don't scrape all the molasses out.  I found that when I did this it made the kebobs sweet.  Just put the first tbsp and then immediately measure the second.

I was searching all over the Internet on how to make Toum.  I found a bunch of different recipes and made a lot of adjustments and came up with the recipe below that we really like.

Middle Eastern Kebobs
July 23, 2011
Lately these kebobs have been too sweet for my taste so I've made some changes to the recipe.  Changes are below.  I have also left the original measurements but crossed them out.

Adapted from Aarti Paarti
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1 pound ground lean veal
2 medium shallots
6 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/4 bunch fresh parsley
1 sprig of fresh mint or 6 dried mint leaves, crumbled
zest of one lemon and the juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses plus 2 tbsp extra for glaze
1/2 tsp garam masala
3/4 tsp salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper

Bring ground veal to room temperature.

In a food processor, finely chop coriander, parsley, mint (or crumbled dried mint leaves), shallots, garlic, ginger, salt and lemon zest.

Add this mixture to the meat. Add baking soda, 1 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, garam masala, and black pepper.  Knead this for 5 minutes until the meat is sticky and lightens in colour.  Lightly drizzle a platter with oil.  Make kebob shapes and place on platter.

Prepare in a small bowl the glaze.  Mix together 2 tbsp of pomegranate molasses and 1/2 the juice of a lemon.  Keep some oil in a small bowl for brushing the kebobs as they are cooked

Heat grill on medium heat and lightly spray with oil.  Grill kebobs for approximately 2 minutes on each side.  As you turn the kebob, brush the oil glaze on the cooked side.  Serve with warm pitas, Creamy Yogurt Hummus and Toum (recipe follows).

Toum (Thick Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

12  15 cloves garlic, minced
125  150 ml olive oil (don't use extra-virgin, it will give it a slight green tint)
little less than 1 tsp salt
2  3 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Put all these ingredients in the cup for the immersion blender.

Blend with immersion blender.  Keep the blender at the base of the cup and tilt the cup side to side to get everything emulsified.  This makes quite a bit.  We had half leftover after our kebobs were done.  You can divide the recipe in half if you would like to make less.