Azerbaijan · Meat Dishes · Keto
Lyulya Kebab (Azerbaijani Lamb Skewers)
Lyulya kebab is Azerbaijani ground-lamb skewers grilled over a mangal. The meat is kneaded long with grated onion and lamb tail fat until it turns dense and tacky — with no egg or bread, that kneading is what keeps it on the skewer. It grills to a browned crust and is served with sumac, pickled onion, and lavash.
95 min 400 kcal 4 serves Advanced🥑Keto🌍Azerbaijan★★★★☆4.4
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 800 gground lamb
- 100 glamb tail fat
- 350 gonion
- 1.5 tspsalt
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 2 tspsumac
- 1 bunchfresh parsley
- ½ bunchfresh cilantro
Method
- Grind the lamb and tail fat together (or finely chop the fat into ready-made ground lamb). The fat isn't optional — lean lamb dries over fire, while the tail fat melts and keeps the kebab juicy.
- Grate the onion and squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth. Excess moisture is the main reason the meat slides off the skewer; you want the onion pulp, not the liquid.
- Combine the meat, squeezed onion, salt, and black pepper. Knead and slap the mixture against the bowl for 8–10 minutes until it turns dense and tacky — with no egg or bread, the kneading is what binds it.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cold, firm mince is easier to shape and grips the skewer better.
- With damp hands, press the mince onto a wide flat skewer into a 16–18 cm cylinder, packing it tight. A round skewer lets the kebab spin — use a flat one or two thin skewers.
- Grill over even mangal coals for 10–15 minutes, turning, until the crust browns. Don't overcook — lamb dries out fast.
- Slide onto lavash, dust with sumac, and serve with sumac-pickled onion and herbs.
FAQ
Two main culprits: too much moisture and not enough kneading. Always grate the onion and squeeze it bone-dry through cheesecloth, or the juice softens the mince. Then knead and slap the mixture for 8–10 minutes until it's dense and tacky — that's what binds it without egg. Cold mince and a wide flat skewer also help it hold.
Rate this
Rate this recipe
Keep browsing
More dishes from the Azerbaijani archive — picked by overlap with what you're cooking now.
Join the conversation
Comments
No comments yet — be the first!