Soak the bread in water for 5-10 minutes, until soft but still holds its shape. (If using challah or very soft sandwich bread, this may take only 1-2 minutes)

Place the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, green chili pepper, thyme, and cumin seeds and sauté for 3 more minutes until fragrant. Add the meat and cook for another 5-10 minutes while breaking it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Add salt and black pepper to taste, transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes. 

Squeeze as much water out of the bread as possible. Crumble the bread into small pieces and add them to the onion and meat mixture. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste and knead the mixture until well combined. 

With lightly oiled hands, form 15 flat circular patties that are about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick.

Add ½ inch of oil to a wide pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering but not smoking, gently place a few patties in the pan and fry them for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate and continue frying the rest.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.