Meat Cutlet (Shami kebab) Recipe

A meat cutlet or Shami kebab is a popular traditional Iranian dish that is typically made using minced lamb or veal. It can also be prepared using chicken, fish, or even vegetables such as eggplant. The result is a mouthwatering dish that is sure to delight your taste buds.

Cutlets are a versatile food that can be enjoyed as a sandwich without rice for lunch or dinner. To prepare cutlets, you can use either cooked or raw potatoes, and in this article from Cooking Rush, you will learn how to make both variations.

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Delicious Meat Cutlet Ingredients

• Potatoes: 3 pcs
• Minced meat: 300 grams
• Eggs: 2 pcs
• Onion: 1 pc
• Oil: as much as necessary
• Salt and black pepper: as needed
• Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
• Tomatoes, pickles and olives: as much as you like for decoration

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How to Cook Meat Cutlet (Shami kebab)

1. Preparing the Ingredients:

To make meat cutlets, start by peeling and grating the onions after washing them. Wash and grate the potatoes separately. Squeeze the juice out of the onions and mix it with the grated potatoes.

2. Adding Minced Meat and Eggs:

Now add the minced meat and eggs to the mixture and knead everything together well. Season the cutlet mixture with salt, pepper, and turmeric, and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Once the mixture is uniform, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Adding Oil to the Pan:

Place a frying pan over medium heat and add oil once the pan has heated up. For Pars Steel frying pans, it’s important to pour the right amount of oil into the pan and allow it to heat up properly.

4. Frying the Cutlets:

Take a small amount of the cutlet mixture and shape it into a circle or oval with your hands. Place it in the frying pan and let it fry. Once one side is cooked, flip the cutlet over to cook the other side.

Tip: The heat should be low so that the cutlets cook slowly and evenly.

5. Removing the Cutlets from the Pan:

Once the cutlets are cooked, place them on a kitchen towel to remove any excess oil, then serve with tomatoes, olives, and pickles.

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Pan Kebab – how to prepare fried kebab in a pan with tomatoes and potatoes

Kebab is one of the most popular and hearty Iranian dishes that few people are willing to skip. Definitely for Meat cutlet recipe with baked potatoes.

To make a meat cutlet dinner with baked potatoes, you will need the same amount of ingredients as mentioned earlier. The only difference is in the cooking method. To achieve a crispy texture, we add breadcrumbs to the mixture.

1. Cooking potatoes:

When cooking potatoes, it’s best to add some salt before microwaving or boiling them to prevent them from becoming too watery.

2. Add meat and eggs:

Once the potatoes are cooked and the temperature has cooled down, grate them and combine them with the meat, eggs, and a variety of spices.

Note: Note that you may utilize saffron or curry spices to add flavor and should thoroughly knead the ingredients together.

Ensure that you taste the ingredients prior to coating them with breadcrumbs, and if they are too salty, add a suitable amount of salt accordingly.

3. Forming the cutlet liquid:

Add oil to a pan and allow it to heat up. Once the oil has reached the desired temperature, take a portion of the cutlet mixture and shape it into your desired form.

Next, coat the mixture with 2/3 of bread flour and carefully place each cutlet in the pan to fry on both sides.

4. Frying and Draining the Cutlets:

Once the cutlets have been fried, place them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve the cutlets alongside bread, sliced tomatoes, and pickled cucumbers.

It is worth noting that in addition to meat cutlets, chicken cutlets can also be used as a tasty alternative for those who desire a different variation or do not consume meat.

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Key points when cooking meat cutlets

1. To make the cutlet crispier and prevent it from becoming too loose, you can add a spoonful of breadcrumbs or chickpea flour to the mixture.
2. It is best to use lean meat to prevent the cutlet from shrinking and losing its shape during frying.
3. For added flavor, consider grating two cloves of garlic into the mixture.
4. For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and follow the same steps to make potato cakes instead.
5. Onion juice can cause the cutlet to fall apart, so be sure to grate it separately and squeeze out the juice before adding it to the mixture.
6. To enhance the flavor, try adding dried herbs such as savory and tarragon to the mixture.
7. Avoid using wheat or white flour in the mixture to prevent the cutlets from becoming doughy.
8. Using raw potatoes in the mixture can reduce the amount of oil needed during frying.
9. Pre-made molds can be used to form the cutlets.
10. Ensure that the oil in the pan is hot enough to prevent the cutlets from sticking.
11. When making potato cutlets without meat, avoid grating the potatoes and instead mash them thoroughly with a meat grinder or puree.
12. When frying meat cutlets with baked potatoes, use more oil in the pan to prevent the cutlets from absorbing excess oil.
13. Use more meat than potatoes in the mixture to ensure the cutlets hold their shape.
14. To add some color to the cutlets, try adding a bit of turmeric to the oil before cooking the cutlets.
15. To enhance the flavor, refrigerate the mixture for one hour before forming the cutlets.