Kebab Koobideh (Persian Ground Lamb and Beef Skewers)

About This Recipe

Koobideh (کباب کوبیده), from the Persian 'to pound', is the national kebab of Iran — the one prepared at every chelo kababi (kebab restaurant), at backyard grills, and at Friday family lunches across the country. Unlike Turkish shish kebab or Arab kofta, koobideh is distinguished by its specific blend of 30% lamb fat mixed into the ground beef-and-lamb mixture, the technique of grating onion finely (not chopping) and squeezing out most of its juice before incorporating it (so the mixture stays firm enough to adhere to the flat wide skewers called shampoor), and the characteristic ridged, elongated form created by pressing the meat down the skewer with wet fingers. The mixture is seasoned with turmeric, black pepper, and sometimes a hint of saffron — no excessive spice — allowing the quality of the meat and the char from the grill to be the hero. Koobideh is served on a bed of saffron-butter basmati rice (chelo) with grilled whole tomatoes alongside, finished with a knob of butter, a dusting of sumac, and raw onion rings. The combination is one of the most satisfying flavour systems in all of Persian cuisine.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gground lamb(fatty cut, not lean)
• 300 gground beef(80/20 fat ratio)
• 1 largeonion(grated and juice squeezed out completely)
• 1/2 tspturmeric
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspbaking soda(makes the mixture more tender)
• 4 wholetomatoes(for grilling alongside)
• 2 tbspbutter(for serving)
• 1 tspground sumac(for serving)
• 1 mediumonion(sliced into rings, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare and squeeze the onion

   Grate the onion on the fine side of a box grater. Place in a clean cloth and squeeze out as much juice as possible. The onion should be almost dry. This step is critical — wet onion prevents the meat from adhering to the skewer.

2. 2

   Mix the meat

   Combine ground lamb, ground beef, squeezed grated onion, turmeric, pepper, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix vigorously with your hands for 3–4 minutes until the mixture becomes a cohesive, sticky paste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

   The mixture must be properly cold and sticky before skewering, or it will slide off the skewer on the grill.

3. 3

   Mould onto skewers

   With wet hands, take a portion of meat (about 120g). Press it around a flat wide metal skewer (shampoor), forming a cylinder 15–18cm long. Press lengthwise ridges into the meat with your fingers — these help the meat cook evenly and provide the characteristic texture. Refrigerate shaped skewers for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Grill over high heat

   Heat a charcoal or gas grill to very high heat. Grill the koobideh directly over the heat, turning every 2 minutes, for 8–10 minutes total until charred in spots but still juicy inside. Grill the tomatoes alongside, turning, until charred and soft.

   Do not use a fork to test — pierce with the skewer tip or press gently. Koobideh should be cooked through but never dry.

5. 5

   Serve with chelo

   Slide the koobideh off the skewers onto a bed of saffron butter rice (chelo). Add grilled tomatoes alongside. Top with a knob of butter that melts over the meat, dust with sumac, and serve with raw onion rings.

Variations

• •

  Jujeh koobideh: use ground chicken with the same seasoning for a lighter version.

• •

  Koobideh in a pan: if you don't have a grill, cook on a very hot ridged grill pan in 2 tbsp oil — the char will be less dramatic but the flavour excellent.

Storage

Raw shaped skewers keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours or can be frozen. Cooked koobideh is best eaten immediately; reheat gently in a hot pan rather than microwave to avoid drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions