Turkish kofte

Grate the onion on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice — too much liquid stops the kofte holding their shape. Grate the garlic too and finely chop the parsley.

Soak the bread in water for a couple of minutes, squeeze it out and crumble.

Combine the beef, onion, garlic, bread, parsley, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Knead with your hands for 5 minutes until sticky and smooth.

Long kneading is the secret — skip it and the kofte will crumble in the pan.

Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

With wet hands, shape the mixture into oval patties 7–8 cm long and 1.5 cm thick.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the kofte for 4–5 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.

Cut one open: the meat inside should show no pink and the juices should run clear.

Transfer to a platter and serve hot with bulgur or rice and fresh vegetables. Done!