Kotlet Wrap (Persian Spiced Meat Patty Wrap)

About This Recipe

Kotlet is a beloved Persian home-cooking staple, flat patties made from a mix of ground beef, mashed potato, onion and turmeric, pan-fried until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. Unlike a plain hamburger patty, kotlet's potato content gives it a slightly softer, more tender interior, while a coating of egg and sometimes breadcrumbs before frying creates a distinctly crisp exterior shell. Wrapped in lavash with fresh herbs, pickled cucumbers and a bit of yogurt sauce, kotlet becomes a filling, portable lunch, the crispy patty holding its texture well even after being rolled into a wrap.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gground beef
• 2potatoes(boiled and mashed)
• 1onion(grated and squeezed dry)
• 2eggs
• 1/2 tspturmeric
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspvegetable oil(for frying)
• 4lavash or large flatbreads
• 1/2 cupplain yogurt
• 1/4 cuppickled cucumbers(sliced)
• 1/2 cupchopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the patty base

   Combine ground beef, mashed potato, grated onion, one egg, turmeric, salt and pepper into a smooth, cohesive mixture.

2. 2

   Shape

   Shape the mixture into thin, flat oval patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

3. 3

   Coat

   Dip each patty in the second beaten egg.

4. 4

   Fry

   Heat oil in a skillet and fry the patties 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through.

   Flatten the patties thin, since kotlet is traditionally cooked as a wide, flat cake rather than a thick burger patty.

5. 5

   Warm the bread

   Warm the lavash briefly on a dry skillet.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Spread a bit of yogurt on the lavash, layer with a patty (whole or crumbled), pickles and fresh herbs.

7. 7

   Roll and serve

   Roll tightly and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Some versions add a bit of breadcrumbs to the mixture for extra structure.

• •

  Chicken can replace beef for a lighter kotlet.

• •

  Serving the patties on their own with rice and a salad, rather than in a wrap, is the more traditional presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days; reheat in a dry skillet to re-crisp rather than microwaving, which softens the crust.

Frequently Asked Questions