Kabab Koobideh

What is it?

Minced lamb or beef is worked with grated onion and salt until it becomes sticky enough to hold onto a wide flat skewer, then shaped by hand along its length.

It is cooked quickly over charcoal and turned constantly. The seasoning is deliberately plain — onion, salt, pepper, sometimes turmeric.

The Persian table

Served either with rice as chelow kabab, or wrapped in flatbread with grilled tomato, raw onion and sumac. Both are ordinary; which one appears depends on the setting.