Step One: Toast and soak a slice of bread.

Start by toasting a slice of your preferred bread – classic white, rustic wheat, or wholesome whole grain. After toasting, quickly soak it in a bowl of water, followed by a gentle squeeze to eliminate excess moisture. Keep it aside.

Step Two: Blend Herbs and Aromatics.

In a 16-cup food processor, combine your chopped onion, garlic cloves, mint leaves, and 2 cups of Italian flat-leaf parsley. Give it a few pulses, occasionally scraping down the sides, until the herbs transform into a finely textured paste. Introduce your soaked bread slices and pulse a few more times to combine the ingredients. 

Step Three: Extract Excess Moisture from Herb Mixture.

Move your herb and aromatic blend to a bowl. Take a few spoonfuls of the mixture and place it onto a cheesecloth. Squeeze out the surplus moisture carefully, ensuring you extract as much liquid as possible. You might need to repeat this process for the utmost effectiveness – it’s a critical step that shouldn’t be overlooked. To provide context, I removed nearly one cup of excess moisture from the herb mixture during my testing.

Step Four: Blend Minced Meat with Herb Paste. 

Add a pound of minced beef, lamb, herb paste mixture, and spices into the large mixing bowl using a stand mixer. Attach the paddle mixing attachment and allow the stand mixer to fold everything together slowly until well combined – this should take approximately a minute. Be cautious not to overmix; a minute of blending is all it needs. 

Step Five: Refrigerate meat mixture and Soak Wooden Skewers 

With your Kofta meat mixture blended, transfer it into a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator, letting the flavors meld and the meat firm up, ensuring better adherence to the skewers. While that’s happening, soak your wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. This preps them for use in the air fryer and prevents unwanted charring.

Step Six: Shape and Construct Skewers 

Retrieve the meat mixture bowl from the refrigerator. On a kitchen scale, scoop and measure the precise amount of meat. (See the Chart below for the correct amount.) Give it a gentle knead to compact it – this aids in adherence and achieving a firmer texture. Now, take a wooden skewer and press it into the center of the meat mixture. Gradually compress the meat mixture from top to bottom, ensuring an even distribution along the skewer. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are assembled.

Step Seven: Air Fry Your Kofta Kebabs 

Arrange a metal rack over a foil-lined baking sheet, creating a non-stick surface with even cooking. Space out a single layer of your skewers on the metal rack, allowing room for hot air to circulate. Spray some cooking spray on the skewers and cook them at 400°F/200°C for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 160°F/72°C. After cooking, give them a brief rest before indulging in this savory goodness.