Ask any Iranian what dish tastes like home and most will answer without hesitating: koobideh.
The dish
Koobideh (koo-bee-DEH) is ground beef, traditionally mixed with grated onion, salt, and pepper, nothing more, kneaded until it holds, pressed by hand onto wide flat skewers, and grilled fast over charcoal. The name comes from the Persian word koobidan, "to pound," after the way the meat was once prepared on a flat stone.
Done right, it is smoky, juicy, and impossibly tender. The fat renders over the coals; the onion keeps the meat succulent; the char gives it depth.
How it's served
The classic plate is chelo kabab: two skewers over a mountain of saffron-crowned basmati rice with a fire-roasted tomato. Add a pat of butter, a dusting of sumac, and, if you eat it the Tehran way, a raw egg yolk folded into the hot rice.
At M Cafe & Grill you can order Beef Koobideh Kebab (2 skewers), grab it in a warm wrap for lunch, or go all-in on the Family Kebab Plate that feeds two to four.
Order it tonight
See the full kebab menu or order online for pickup and delivery in Lake Forest.
