This recipe contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, LiT may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, LiT earns from qualifying purchases. See our affiliate disclosure.
Not everyone has a charcoal grill and a set of flat skewers. Kabab tabei is the answer. Spiced minced meat is pressed flat into a frying pan, scored into strips and cooked on the hob.
It is a staple of student flats and busy families across Iran. Served with rice, grilled tomatoes and a pat of butter, it is hard to beat.
At a glance: serves four. About 40 minutes. Easy.
Ingredients
- 500g minced lamb or beef, around 20% fat
- 1 large onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- A pinch of saffron, bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water (optional)
- 2 tomatoes, halved
- Butter, to serve
Method
- Mix the mince, grated onion, turmeric, pepper, salt and saffron. Knead for five minutes until the mixture feels sticky.
- Press the meat into a cold, non-stick frying pan in an even layer about 1.5cm thick. Score it into long strips with a knife.
- Cook on a medium heat. Pour off the juices as they collect. After about ten minutes, flip each strip and cook the other side.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan for the last few minutes.
Squeeze the onion. Wet onion makes the meat fall apart. Wrap it in a cloth and wring it hard.
Knead well. Proper kneading is what holds the kebab together without egg or breadcrumbs.
Where to buy the ingredients. Outside Iran, you can order saffron, sumac, a Persian rice cooker and turmeric online.
Serve with chelo rice, sumac and a pat of butter, or wrapped in lavash. It also works well with minced chicken.
