I realised recently that I hadn’t shared a recipe for kabab koobideh (Persian ground lamb kebabs) here yet, which is crazy because these are my favourite kababs to eat! We ate a lot of kabab when we were visiting family in Australia recently, there’s quiet a few Persian restaurants in Melbourne, plus my dad is the kabab king and since the weather was nice and warm when we were there, he would make them outside on the BBQ… YUM! 

Usually at Persian restaurants you will see a few different kabab options on the menu, these include –

Kabab Barg – Strips of beef tenderloin or lamb shanks that have been marinated, then skewered and grilled.

Kabab Koobideh – Mince/ground lamb or beef that has been minced a couple of times, marinated and grilled.

Kabab Soltani – A plate with a combination of kabab barg + kabab koobideh.

Joojeh Kabab – Pieces of chicken that have been marinated in a yoghurt mixture , skewered and grilled.

My favourite is definitely kabab koobideh. It is so simple to make but it is delicious and can be served up in so many different ways! If you eat rice, then you can go down the traditional route of serving it with rice, which is how I grew up eating it, a lot of people also serve it with grilled tomatoes, but since I don’t eat tomatoes I like eating mine with other grilled vegetables or a nice big salad. They’re perfect for on the go, eating at home or for big BBQ get together! I remember as a kid in Australia visiting different parks or beaches with the family on a weekend, we would get together with my cousins and other family friends and everyone would bring food, usually the dads would bring the kabab mixtures and grill them on the BBQs in the park…. ahhhh so many memories!

Since I live in England and there’s not much opportunity for making these outside on a BBQ/Grill I make my own version at home using a grill pan. Plus with this version you don’t have to worry about placing the kabab mixture onto skewers, which is the traditional way but can sometimes be tricky to do, plus this version comes together very quickly and easily.

So next time you’re after a simple to make weeknight meal, why not make some kabab koobideh!

Kabab Koobideh (Persian Lamb Kababs)

Ingredients:

• 900gm/2lbs mince/ground lamb.
• 1 medium onion, grated and juiced squeezed out.
• 2 tsp Himalayan/Kosher salt (or to taste).
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• 1-2 Tbsp grass-fed ghee/butter, melted.
• Sumac.

Method:

Place lamb into a food processor and process the meat a couple of times until it clumps together in one big mixture. Processing the meat like this results in nice and juice, tender kababs.

Place lamb into a large mixing bowl and add in the grated onion.

Add in salt & pepper and use your hands to mix everything together.

Cover and set aside at room temperature for an hour.*

When you’re ready to cook the kababs, take a just slightly bigger than golf ball sized piece of mixture and roll into ball with your hands.

Place onto a chopping board or clean surface and using your hands, roll the ball into a long cigar shape.

Use the palm of your hand to flatten out the mixture and form into a kabab shape.

Place each kabab you make onto a clean plate, until the mixture is finished.

Heat a grill pan on medium0high heat and brush with some melted ghee/butter.

Place kababs in batches onto the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side.

Remove onto a clean plate as they finish cooking.

Serve however you like, we had ours with some grilled red capsicum and zucchini slices.

Remember to sprinkle some sumac on top of the kababs, however you’re serving them for a truly delicious experience and enjoy!

*The kabab mixture can be refrigerated anywhere from 4-12 hours before cooking.

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