chelo-kebab
Next Dish: Mutabbaq Samak
Chelo Kebab is a national dish of Iran, consisting of cooked rice (chelo) and one or several types of roasted meat (kebab). The most common types of meat used are lamb, chicken, or beef. The dish is typically served with butter, sumac, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes, a raw egg yolk. The traditional method of eating Chelo Kebab involves mixing the butter and yolk into the rice, and then combining it with pieces of the kebab meat.
Recipe
Ingredients:
500 grams of boneless lamb or beef
2 cups of basmati rice
1 large onion
4 tomatoes
2 bell peppers
2 tablespoons of yogurt
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of black pepper
Salt to taste
Butter for serving
Sumac for serving
Instructions:
Cut the meat into small cubes and place them in a bowl.
Grate the onion and add it to the bowl along with the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, turmeric, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
While the meat is marinating, wash the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Then, boil the rice in a pot of salted water until it's half-cooked. Drain the rice and set it aside.
Thread the marinated meat onto skewers, alternating with pieces of bell pepper and tomato.
Grill the skewers on a hot grill or under a broiler, turning them occasionally, until the meat is cooked to your liking.
Melt some butter in a pan and add the half-cooked rice. Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
Serve the kebabs on a bed of rice, sprinkled with sumac and a side of grilled tomatoes and bell peppers.