Persian Koobideh Kabob

Ingredients (For 3 – 4 kabobs)

Recipe adapted from Cafe Bagheri

1. Ground meat (80% lean and 20 % fat) – 1/2 kg

2. Onion – 1/4 cup, grate the onion and squeeze well to remove excess moisture

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – As required

For the basting sauce

3.  Unsalted butter, melted – 2 tbsp

Saffron water – 2 tsp

Garlic powder – 2 pinches

Cumin powder – 1 pinch

Cinnamon powder – 1 pinch

Salt – 1 – 2 pinches

Pepper powder – 1 pinch

Combine all the above ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Method

1. Add the ground meat to a food processor and pulse a few times. Transfer to a bowl. Combine ground meat with all ingredients numbered 2. Knead it well  (like how you would for chapathi dough) for 4 – 5 minutes. Cover and let rest overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Heat oven at 500 F (you can grill the kebabs instead). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease well.

3. Knead the meat mixture briefly before baking/grilling.  Take a large portion of the meat mix in your palm and form into a round ball. Spread it around the skewer (long, flat and wide metal skewers are usually used for koobideh kabobs) to form a cylindrical shape using wet hands. Press your fingers on the kebab to make grooves (if the meat mixture doesn’t stick well to the skewer, knead it well and try again or add a few teaspoons of bread crumbs or a little beaten egg, as a binding agent.)

4. Bake kebabs for 10 minutes. Flip them over. Brush the basting sauce and bake for 4 minutes. Turn the oven to broil mode. Broil for 3 – 4 minutes until kebabs are browned slightly. Brush with the basting sauce once done. Serve immediately over saffron rice or wrapped in a flat bread along with grilled tomato and onion salad (recipe below).

Tip

You can make these without skewers also in an oven. Shape them into 3 – 4 inch cylindrical logs. Lightly press them with fingers to form grooves. Place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil that’s lightly coated with oil and bake until done.

Grilled Tomato

For grilled tomato – Cut firm roma tomatoes in halves. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Thread the halves on skewers. Grill on both sides until done.

Onion Salad

Red onion – 1.5 cup, thinly sliced

Parlsey – 1/3 cup, chopped

Lime juice – 1.5 tbsp or to taste

Salt and pepper – As required

Sumac – 1 – 2 pinches

Extra virgin olive oil – 2 – 3 tsp

Combine all the above ingredients to make onion salad. Serve with the kabobs.