Black Angus Koobideh Platter

Koobideh is a popular aromatic Persian dish made with ground beef, lamb, chicken or combination of meats serve kabob-style.

Trivia: The word Koobideh comes from persian work "Koobidan" which means slamming which is the original method of preparing the meal.

My Persian Platter:

• Koobideh Kabob

• Tahdig Persian Rice

• Roasted tomatoes with mint

• Maast-o Kiar (yogurt cucumber sauce)

• Toum (garlic sauce)

The Koobideh Kabob

Ideally, the Kabob should be 80% beef & 20% lamb but in this case I went for 100% beef since my son isn't up to the gamey flavor of the lamb.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Angus Beef (Finely Ground & 85% lean at room temperature)

2 pcs. Large Yellow Onions (finely grated & strained -save the juice)

4 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 tbsp. Sumac

2 tbsp. Lime Zest

1 tbsp. Turmeric

1 tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Black Pepper (freshly ground)

1 pc. Egg (Large)

1/4 cup EVOO & salt for basting

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead gently to combine. Cover and leave to marinate and set overnight.

2. Run your hands in warm water to prevent the mixture from sticking as you form them into separate balls. (This mixture will yield about 10 to a dozen balls).

3. Prepare 10 skewers. Flat Persian skewers hold the ground meat best but if you don't have one you can use a regular skewer like I did, or just simply do away with skewering and grill as is.Skewer the ground meat using the technique in the video attached as follows. This technique works best with flat skewer but if you only have regular one's like mine make sure you're molding the mixture with more volume to avoid it from falling off the skewer as you grill. https://youtu.be/K74_AWIwEnI

4. Grill the skewers. Find a way to elevate them in such a way they don't touch the grate. Also you may cook it on cast iron pan to get a quick char and finish off perfectly with the basting and into the oven to stay warm at 140F until meal time.

The Persian Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice

4 cups Water

4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or melted butter)

2 tbsp. Powdered Turmeric (or Saffron)

1 tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

2 tbsp. Rock Salt

Garnish Sumac

Instructions:

1. Wash the rice in running water until it's rinsed-off with its starch.

2. Add the EVOO, Turmeric & Salt, blend in until homogenously mixed

3. Pour in the water & cook until done. (If you care for the "Tahdig" which is the coveted crispy bottom part of the rice, then move on to the next steps as follows)

4. In a large skillet or deep cast iron pan, pour in EVOO to coat the bottom as well the side of the pan.

5. Heat the oil in medium setting and add in the rice.

6. Press to compact in the pan and continue to cook for 10 to 15 min. or untle you can hear it sizzle & crackle.

7. Flip over the and sprinkle with sumac.

Roasted Tomatoes with Mint

Ingredients:

2 cups Grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp. Garlic (minced and fried)

1 tbsp. Fresh Mint

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To taste Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Drizzle with EVOO & roast the tomatoes in cast iron skillet.

2. Add in the fried garlic immediately after roasting and mix evenly.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with mint.

Maast-o Kiar (Yogurt Cucumber Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 cup Plain Yogurt

1/2 Cucumber (pureed)

1tbsp. Juice of the onion from the koobideh

To taste Salt

Directions:

Mix evenly & chill

Toum (Garlic Sauce)

Ingredients:

1cup Garlic (Peeled)

2 tsp. Rock salt

1/8 cup Lime juice (or Lemon)

3 cups Canola oil

1/4 cup cold water

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, salt & lime and oil in the food processor and pulse intermitently until mixture is well blended and fluffy.

2. Gradually add the oil in thin stream alternately with water until well incorporated in the mixture.

3. Cover and chill.