Good morning. Today we’re covering kofta (also known as kofte/kefta), a ground meat kebab that can be be utilized in many ways. Add this versatile blueprint into your cooking arsenal for easy weeknight meals throughout the summer.

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

The kofta blueprint

Kofta is a deliciously spiced meat mixture with countless cultural and regional variations of it. At its core, it’s a kebab made from ground meat and aromatics that can be served on rice plates or Shawarma-style wraps.

Why you should learn this

This breakdown allows you to turn ground meat into flavorful kofta, a great base protein that can be added to meals throughout the week.

What you’ll need

• Ground meat: lamb, beef, turkey, chicken

• Salt (1.5%)

• Seasoning of choice: dried spices, mined fresh aromatics, chopped herbs

How to make it

1. Mix together the meat, salt, and seasonings until combined and tacky.

2. Form into patties, balls, log shapes, or onto kebab skewers.

3. Cook through: sear or grill to brown the exterior for better flavor.

4. Serve: in a wrap, on a salad, or on a rice plate with toppings like yogurt, greens, pickled onions, and hummus.

For a more in-depth guide, check out the full video breakdown here.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS ✅

Cook Well kebabs

Kofta and kebabs in general can be eaten in so many different ways. Check out our examples here:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

U.S. vs Japanese 7Eleven food

Why has 7-Eleven in Japan become so popular?

The chain’s convenience stores in Japan have more fresh and tasty foods to offer than the locations in the US.

Japan is a culturally popular place to travel right now, and 7-Eleven is an easy stop:

1. The stores are omnipresent and open 24 hours.

2. There are fresh & cheap options that can work as an actual meal:

Unlike the US options of hot dog rollers and soggy pizzas, Japanese 7-Elevens have gone viral for the pristine egg sandwiches, fruit & cream, onigiri selection (rice balls), smoothies, and ramen cups.

The surge of travelers & their social media posts have created an online frenzy, especially from U.S. audiences lamenting their gas station options by comparison.

Supposedly, 7-Eleven is planning to upgrade some US locations to match the food offerings of their Japanese counterparts. We’ll believe it when we see it…

READER Q&A 🧠

Is your egg order controversial?

Answer: People are very particular about how their eggs are cooked. You might see this in video comment sections, at a brunch spot, or when you make your favorite scrambled eggs for someone else.

We think eggs are personal —and therefore a fussy ingredient for people — mainly for three reasons:

1. Eggs are universal. Across the globe, families in every cuisine cook the ingredient, so we develop deep preferences from a young age around eggs.

2. Eggs carry some inherent risk: like meat, undercooked eggs have some risk of food-borne illnesses, particularly salmonella. Runny and undercooked preparations make people queasy and uncomfortable, depending on their background or risk tolerance.

3. Texture is highly subjective. Humans tend to react very differently and viscerally to texture. Eggs are unique in that you can widely manipulate their texture with heat, so it’s not surprising that runny yolks, jiggly eggs, or soft scrambles just wink people out.

Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get your question answered.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

Beef rendang respect

This week’s dinner winner is Adrain D., who made our beef rendang recipe!

Reply with your best home-cooked food photos for a chance to win & be featured!

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: How an Editor Discovered Julia Child

In a minute or less: Chocolate Chip Cookie Science

What we’re watching: Only Live Fire Cooking

Food science: Poaching Basics

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