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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chelo kabab koobideh

Chelo kabab koobideh is Iran's national dish, ground meat kebabs mixed with onion and grilled, served with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes. It serves 4, takes 55 minutes, is rated moderate difficulty, and costs about €3.40 per person. The key to success is squeezing the grated onion completely dry before mixing it into the meat, otherwise the kebabs fall apart on the grill.

Tonight it's Iran's national dish, chelo kabab koobideh, ground meat kebabs with onion, served with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes.

Chelo kabab koobideh
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Chelo kabab koobideh is ground meat kneaded at length with onion, shaped onto flat skewers and grilled. The texture should be firm and slightly tacky, never dry, with the smoky flavor of the grill and the quiet sweetness of onion running through the meat. Golden saffron basmati rice, finished with butter, gives the dish the soft contrast it needs.

This is a dish for a day when you have a little time on your hands, a Sunday or an evening with guests, since the kneading and chilling take some planning. At Mon Chou, we also like it for kids, who find the familiar taste of ground meat here, just in a shape that feels like something new.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground lamb 300 g
  • Ground beef 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Tomatoes 4

Pantry

  • Saffron 1 pinch
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 320 g
  • Sumac 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 40 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Grate the onions, squeeze them hard in a kitchen towel, then mix them into the meat with the salt and pepper.

    Save the onion juice for a soup, it's packed with flavor.

  2. Knead the mixture by hand for a long time until it turns sticky and smooth, then let it rest in the fridge. 30 min

    Chilling firms up the meat and helps it hold onto the skewer.

  3. Cook the basmati rice in salted boiling water, drain it, then let it finish steaming with butter and saffron infusion. 20 min

    Rinse the rice several times beforehand, it will keep its grains separate.

  4. Shape the meat around flat skewers, pressing a groove into it with your fingers.

    Dip your hands in water so the meat doesn't stick.

  5. Grill the kebabs and tomatoes under the broiler, turning them, then serve with the rice and a pinch of sumac. 12 min

    Press a little melted butter onto the kebab, it's the move Iranian restaurants use.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use an even mix of lamb and beef, beef alone makes the kebabs too dry and lamb alone too fatty.
  • Knead the meat by hand for several minutes, that's what builds the stickiness that keeps the kebabs from breaking apart on the grill.
  • If you're using wood skewers, dip your hands in cold water often while shaping, the meat will stick to them much less.

The variations

  • Swap the lamb for more ground beef if you prefer a milder flavor, it still works but loses a bit of character.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with finely chopped mushrooms mixed with cooked red lentils, well drained and pressed dry.
  • For a quicker, kid friendly version, shape the meat into small meatballs instead of flat skewers, they cook faster and are easy to eat by hand.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt or tzatziki
  • Flatbread or pita
  • Cucumber and mint salad

Storage

Shaped raw meat keeps for 1 day in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Cooked kebabs keep for 2 days in the refrigerator and reheat well in a pan or oven to keep some crust. You can freeze the shaped raw meat and cook it straight from frozen.

Questions about this dish

Why do you squeeze the onion before adding it to the meat?

Grated onion holds a lot of water, which keeps the meat from holding together on the skewer. Squeezed dry in a towel, it still adds flavor without weakening the mixture.

Can you shape the kebabs ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape the meat the day before and keep it chilled, it will actually be firmer when you grill it. Just take it out 15 minutes before cooking so it's not too cold.

What if I don't have saffron?

The rice will be less fragrant and less golden, but you can still make it plain with just butter. Skip artificial coloring, it won't replace the flavor of saffron.

Can you cook the kebabs in a pan instead of under the grill?

Yes, a hot pan works fine if you don't have a grill, just turn the kebabs often. The flavor will be a little less smoky but the texture stays good.

How long does it take to make a chelo kabab koobideh?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a chelo kabab koobideh?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chelo kabab koobideh cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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