Recipe

Stovetop Lamb Kabob & Persian Rice

Stovetop Lamb Kabob & Persian Rice

  • Servings: 4
  • Total Time:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Royal Chef’s Secret Basmati Rice
  • 1/4 cup brewed saffron see note
  • 2 tablespoons butter

For the Kabob:

  • 1.5 lbs ground lamb (or you can substitute beef)
  • 1 white onion, pureed
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 ripe roma tomatoes
  • sumac for garnish
  • 1 white onion cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Put rice in a bowl and add cold water to cover. Agitate rice a little bit and then pour off the water. Repeat 3 times or so until the rice water is mostly clear. Drain the rice completely.
  2. In a nonstick dutch oven, fill with water halfway and bring to a boil.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and then add rice. Let boil for 5-6 minutes.
  4. Check to see if rice is cooked on the outside but has a small firm center. Drain the rice when done. Wipe out the dutch oven.
  5. Put a thin layer of oil in the pot and add rice back to the pot and cook the rice over medium heat with the pot covered. When you start to see steam (helps if the lid is clear) then add 2 tablespoons of butter and the brewed saffron water.
  6. Cover lid with a kitchen towel, continue to cook over medium for 5 minutes then lower the heat to a medium low. Cook about 30 more minutes. When rice is done, serve with tahdig.
  7. To make the kabobs combine ground beef, pureed onion, salt, pepper and turmeric. Form kabobs into football shaped logs that are about 4 inches long. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat and add some olive oil. Cook kabobs about 4 minutes each side.
  8. Brush the roma tomatoes with a little oil and broil them in the oven until they are softened and the skin is a bit charred. Serve kabobs and tomatoes with rice and raw onion. Garnish kabob and rice with sumac. This dish tastes great with yogurt sauce and shirazi salad as accompaniments.

 

NOTE: To brew saffron grind ½ Teaspoons saffron with a generous pinch of sugar and then add 4 tablespoons hot water and let ground saffron dissolve. Let stand 30 minutes before proceeding.