If there is one scent that defines the streets of Tehran and the warmth of a Persian home, it is the intoxicating aroma of Luleh or Koobideh hitting a bed of glowing charcoals. Often imitated but rarely perfected, the Kabob Koobideh is the ultimate test of a cook’s skill—a delicate balance of fat, meat, and onion that must be “hit” onto the skewer with rhythmic precision.
Koubideh (Ground beef/lamb) Kabobs
Equipment
- 10 1" wide flat steel skewers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Ground beef
- 1 lb Ground lamb
- 1 1/2 Yellow onions peeled and diced very small
- 3 ea Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Egg – large
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sumac
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 cup Butter unsalted, melted
Instructions
- Be sure your meats are at room temperature before beginning.
- Pulse the onion in the food processor until it starts to release liquid. Place the onion in a fine strainer and press with a spatula to drain off as much liquid as you can. Discard the strained liquid and place the onion pulp in a large bowl.
- Add all the remaining ingredients except the melted butter to the bowl with the onion pulp.
- Knead all of the ingredients for several minutes until the mixture is paste like and sticks together without falling apart.
- Set up a small bowl with water. Use this to keep your fingers moist as you make the kabobs.
- Divide the mixture into 10 equal balls.
- Take a ball of meat mixture of meat in the palm of your hand, place the skewer on top of it and squeeze the meat around the skewer. Once you make sure that meat is not going to fall off, start squeezing it from top to bottom and cover the middle section of the skewer. Leave the top and bottom of the skewer clear. Wet your fingers with the tap water and keep squeezing and spreading the meat evenly around the skewer. The meat should be about ½ inch thick all around the skewer.
- Set the skewer gently on a shallow baking sheet with sides, so the meat does not touch the bottom of the baking sheet. Continue making the rest of the kabobs. At this point the uncooked kabobs can sit over the counter while you get the grill ready.
- To Grill Kabob Koubideh: You will need to set up your charcoal grill so the meat will not touch the grill or they wil not stay together. the tip and handle ends need to rest on something that will keep the kabobs elevated over the grill grate and coals
- Be sure to get your coals very hot and turning to white ash.
- Brush the cooked kabobs with the melted butter.