Kabab Barg

Ingredients

• 700 g (1½ lb) strip steak, trimmed of fat and sinew
• 1 large onion, grated, with its juice
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Generous pinch of saffron threads, ground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Flatbread, to serve
• Grilled tomatoes, to serve
• Sumac, to serve

Steps

1. Cut the steak across into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices, then slice the slices lengthwise into strips about 5 cm (2 in) wide. Gently flatten each with the side of a knife.
2. In a bowl, mix the onion with its juice, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and half of the saffron water. Add the beef and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Thread the strips onto flat metal skewers, folding them slightly so they lie snugly together, with about four pieces per skewer.
4. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high, with the grate clean and lightly oiled.
5. Grill the skewers for 2 minutes per side, until browned at the edges and just cooked through. The meat is thin, so do not walk away.
6. Stir the remaining saffron water into the melted butter and brush it over the kebabs as they come off.
7. Serve at once on warm flatbread with grilled tomatoes and a dusting of sumac.

Notes

• Skewers: wide flat skewers hold the thin strips better; if you only have round ones, use two parallel skewers per kebab.
• Do not over-marinate: more than 24 hours and the onion juice turns the meat mushy.
• Serving: traditional with saffron rice, grilled tomatoes and raw onion wedges.
• Pair with: a shirazi salad of diced cucumber, tomato and onion with lime and dried mint.