KABAB KUBIDEH
(Ground Beef Kabab)
Frrom Pari Ardalan Malek's Joy
of Persian Cooking: Persian-American Cuisine (2000, Abjad Book Designers
and Builders).
l pound ground lamb or beef
1 medium chopped onion
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 sliced bread, soaked in water and squeezed
20 cherry tomatoes
2 whole lavash breads (flat bread, found in Middle Eastern stores)
1 tablespoon dried tarragon (optional)
1. In a food processor, blend meat and onions for 30 seconds.
2. In a bowl, mix meat, onion and all remaining ingredients, except for
tomatoes and bread. Knead thoroughly and chill for 1 hour.
3. Using a small handful of the meat mixture, squeeze the mixture around
a skewer, corn-dog style, securing the mixture by pinching it to the skewer
at both ends.
4. Place skewers on grill, turning quickly as each side cooks to keep the
meat from falling off the skewer.
5. When you have turned the skewers once, grill skewered tomatoes alongside
ground beef kababs.
6. Grill beef kababs until meat is done (about 20 minutes), turning regularly.
7. When all kababs are done, place one whole lavash bread on a serving
platter, then place kababs on top of bread. Cover with the second piece
of Lavash bread.
8. Press down on the top piece of bread gently with one hand to hold skewers
in place, then slide skewers out of kababs with the other hand.
Preparation time: 1 hour
Makes 7 skewers of kabab
Note: For oven-baked kababs, line a cookie sheet with foil, then spread
with meat mixture, making sure the mixture covers the entire cookie sheet
and even out the top of the mixture. With a sharp knife, cut the mixture
into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Broil 8 minutes, then use knife to go over
the cuts you made earlier. Carefully turn each strip and broil another
8 minutes. Arrange on serving platter, sprinkle with sumac and serve. Kabab
is traditionally served with chelo (steamed white rice) or with lavash
flat bread and fresh basil, mint, scallions and radishes.
Purchase this
book from amazon.com
* Back
to "Persian cooking" recipe index
