Kabab Torsh - Pomegranate Herb Kabab
Kabab Torsh: A Delightful Culinary Gem from Northern Iran
Kabab Torsh, a delectable kabab from the Gilan and Mazandaran provinces in northern Iran, translates to "sour kabab". This unique dish is renowned for its distinctive blend of sour pomegranate molasses, earthy walnuts, and fresh herbs, which sets it apart from other kababs.
Typically, Kabab Torsh is made using ribeye, sirloin, or tenderloin. For this recipe, I have chosen ribeye for the following reasons:
Ribeye steak boasts excellent marbling throughout, making it exceptionally tender and allowing it to absorb the marinade's flavours perfectly.
The challenge with Kabab Torsh lies in ensuring the walnuts and herbs in the marinade do not burn before the meat is cooked to perfection. With ribeye steak, this is easily managed. Ribeye requires minimal time on the BBQ, achieving a perfect medium-cooked state when it remains pink inside. Therefore, the Kabab Torsh marinade and ribeye steak are an ideal pairing.
Enjoy the rich flavours and tender texture of this traditional Iranian delicacy, a true testament to the culinary heritage of northern Iran.
You can download this recipe as a printable PDF for a small fee here.
Serve this mouthwatering Kabab with Persian Saffron Rice and grilled tomatoes.
Equipment
BBQ grill
Food processor
Lumpwood charcoal
15 flat stainless steel skewers
Food brush
Time
Prep: 15 min Cool and rest: 24h (day before) Skewing: 20 min Cook: 35 min on the BBQ Total: 1h 10 min (without resting overnight)
Ingredients for 10 skewers (5 servings)
1 kg / 2.2lbs beef ribeye (my recommendation), sirloin, or tenderloin, cut into 3.5cm cubes
8 nice and ripe tomatoes to grill
8 chillies to grill (optional)
1 onion
1 red onion (optional) to grill straight on the charcoal
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 cup walnuts
5 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp pomegranate molasses (depending on the sourness you can adjust the amount)
4 tbsp butter
Juice of one lemon
1 cup fresh parsley (washed, dried, stems removed)
1 cup fresh mint (washed, dried, stems removed)
2 tbsp chochagh (optional) Chochagh is a herb that only grows in northern Iran.
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste (add salt when the meat is on the BBQ)
1/4 tsp ground saffron to combine with butter to brush meat, bloomed
Method for making Kabab Torsh
A day before
Preparation
Cut the meat into approx 3.5 cm cubes. Keep them in a bowl.
Peel and cut the onion into smaller pieces and put them inside the food processor. Set your blending machine to high speed for a minute. It should be done in one go. You can also peel and grate the onion using the coarse setting.
Squeeze most of the moisture out of the blended or grated onion. Simply take a handful of grated onion and squeeze it with both hands. In this recipe, we only need the onion, not the juice. Set the onion aside.
Skin off the garlic cloves.
Wash the herbs and lay them out to dry.
Marinating the meat
In a food processor add parsley, mint, chochagh (if you have any), grated onions, garlic, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, the juice of one lemon, and black pepper.
Turn on the food processor and mix them until all the ingredients are combined well and you have a nice and sticky paste. (You can add more olive oil if you think the paste is too dry.)
Add the paste to the meat cubes and combine them until all the meat is coated in the paste.
Cover the bowl or transfer everything into a resealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and let the ingredients get to know each other.
On the day of BBQing
Take the marinated beef out of the fridge 2 hours before grilling to allow it to reach room temperature.
Bloom the saffron by adding it to 2 tbsp of boiled water.
Melt the butter and combine it with the saffron water. We’ll need it in the end.
Skewer the kababs and tomatoes
Depending on the size of your grill, skewer the cubes. Keep in mind that the skewers get hot once they are on the grill. Make sure there is enough distance between the last cube and the bottom end of the skew that will come in contact with your hand. Place the beef skewers on a tray.
Skewer the whole tomatoes. Make a few cuts through the skin to allow the juice to be released and the tomatoes to cook perfectly while BBQing.
Skewer the chilies if you have.
Make the rice
Now is the time to prepare the rice. Here is the recipe.
Get the BBQ going
I use real lump wood charcoal for my barbeques. It doesn’t have any nasty chemicals in it and lights up effortlessly in my charcoal starter.
Once the charcoal turns white on the outside and glows bright red inside you are ready to bbq. Spread the charcoal out evenly.
Grill the tomatoes first because they take more time than the Kabab Torsh and can be prepared in advance, then kept warm. Grill them from both sides and don’t worry about the skin turning black. It will be peeled off before eating them. Make sure not to take them off too soon. They should be nice and soft and slide off the skewer without you touching them. You can transfer them into a pan with the lid on and leave them near the BBQ to keep them warm.
You can also grill the chilies with the tomatoes if you have any. Just be careful as they burn quickly.
Place the unpeeled red onion directly on the hot charcoal. Turn it every 2 minutes using barbecue tongues until it is charred on the outside and soft on the inside.
Now it’s time to grill the Kabab Torsh. The temperature of the charcoal shouldn’t be too hot. If your grill has an adjustable charcoal tray, move it down to reduce the temperature if necessary. Place the skewers on the grill. Grill them from both sides until they are nice and brown. You can brush them with melted saffron butter to prevent the meat from drying out. Season them with salt.
Once the color looks right take them off and serve as soon as possible. Don’t leave the meat on the barbeque for too long as it will get dry and chewy! Slide them off the skewers using a piece of bread.
Serve your delicious Kabab Torsh
Serve your Kabab Torsh with buttered rice, grilled tomatoes, grilled chilies, and grilled red onion. In northern Iran, in the Gilan province, it is served with fava beans, walnuts, and smoked fish roe as a side. Enjoy!
I’d love to see your Kabab Torsh! Feel free to tag me with @igotitfrommymaman on Facebook or Insta so I can take a look and give you a thumbs up!
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