Beef Kebab

I have been a fan of middle eastern food ever since I tasted it in Norebro, Copenhagen few years ago. My friend and I wandered through the shops nearby Copenhagen university and ended up asking for direction in a store. The young girl who worked there, wore headscarves just like my friend then invited us to come to her ethnic community gathering and later invited us to a restaurant, that was the best ever kebab I have ever had. It so memorable and until now, my friend and I kept talking about that place. I have been trying to find the place few times later when I came back to Copenhagen but never succeeded, instead ended up having ones called Iskender kebab, in a restaurant at Norreport.

In a way I must thanked that girl who introduce me to the middle eastern food. In fact, I'll go to Shawarma stall first, anytime I arrived in Amsterdam. And I keep frequenting middle eastern food in any other city. Mama Ayesha, in Adams Morgan and Cafe Divan in George town, Manni kebabish in Prague, Mado and Caravan Serai in Brisbane and there are still a lot more places to go in my current city.

Haven't really thought of making one, till I met my volunteer friend who is Iranian of origin. So here is my translation of her recipe:

Ingredients:
500 gr ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumb
1.5 ts salt
1/4 ts ground black pepper
1 large onion (I used 2 shallots instead)
1 garlic
a pinch of saffron thread
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ts dried tamarind
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tbs butter

Direction:

1. Grated the onion and sieve, grate the garlic then mix it to the beef.
2. Add bread crumb and all other ingredients
3. I don't have the metal skewer so instead I form the kebab in a smaller shape.
4. Stir fry the kebabs on each side for 3-4 minutes, the correct way of course to grill it on metal skewer.
5. Serve with pilaf rice and yoghurt sauce (plain yoghurt, chilli sauce, lime and black pepper)
6. Bon appetite!