Long, flattened skewers of seasoned ground beef and lamb, grilled until charred, Iran's most iconic kabab served with saffron rice.
Kabab koobideh is arguably Iran's most famous grilled dish, ground meat pounded (koobideh comes from the word for pounding) with grated onion until it becomes fine and cohesive enough to mold onto wide, flat metal skewers. The key technical challenge is getting the meat mixture to hold together on the skewer without any egg or breadcrumb binder, relying entirely on the right meat-to-fat ratio and thorough kneading to develop enough stickiness. Grilled over hot charcoal until deeply charred outside and juicy within, koobideh is traditionally served with a pat of butter melting over saffron rice, alongside grilled tomato and a raw onion and sumac salad.
Serves 4
Combine ground beef, ground lamb, grated onion, salt, pepper, turmeric and baking soda in a large bowl.
Knead the mixture by hand for 8-10 minutes until it becomes very fine, sticky and pale β this extended kneading is essential for the meat to hold onto the skewer.
Knead far longer than feels necessary; koobideh needs the meat proteins to develop real stickiness, which only happens with sustained working of the mixture.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
With wet hands, mold the mixture around wide, flat metal skewers into long, evenly flattened shapes, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets.
Grill over hot charcoal or a very hot grill, turning carefully, 10-12 minutes total until well charred and cooked through.
Grill whole tomatoes alongside until softened and charred.
Slide the kababs off the skewers onto saffron rice, top with a pat of butter, and serve with grilled tomato and a sprinkle of sumac.
Knead the meat mixture far longer than feels necessary β a full 8-10 minutes of hand-kneading develops the stickiness needed to hold the meat on the skewer without any binder.
Squeeze the grated onion extremely dry, since excess moisture is the most common reason koobideh falls apart on the grill.
Use wide, flat metal skewers specifically β round skewers won't hold the flattened meat shape properly.
An all-beef version, without lamb, is common and still delicious, though the traditional mix includes both meats.
Chicken koobideh, using ground chicken thigh, is a lighter, increasingly popular variation.
Serving with grilled onion alongside the tomato is a traditional addition in some regions.
Best grilled fresh; the raw seasoned mixture keeps refrigerated up to 2 days before shaping and grilling. Cooked leftovers reheat well in a hot dry pan.
Kabab koobideh is considered a defining dish of Iranian cuisine, its name deriving from the traditional method of pounding the meat by hand, and it remains the most commonly ordered kabab at restaurants and kabab houses throughout Iran.
A small amount of baking soda helps tenderize the meat and assists in binding the mixture, a technique commonly used in traditional koobideh recipes.
Shape the mixture into oval logs instead and grill them directly on a well-oiled grate, turning carefully since they'll be less stable without a skewer.
The meat likely wasn't kneaded long enough, or the onion wasn't squeezed dry enough β both steps are essential and can't be shortened.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) Β· 4 servings total
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