Name: Persian-style Chicken 'Koobideh Kebabs' with Labneh, a creamy yogurt dip recipe by Mallika Chaudhary at BetterButter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For the Kebabs:; 300 grams Chicken mince; 1 large onion; 1.5 heaped tbsn Sumac ( Middle-eastern spice powder easily available at grocery stores these days); 5-6 strands of Saffron; 1 tsp Turmeric; 1 tbsn Red chilly powder; 1 tbsn Coriander powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp Mango powder; 1.5 tbsn Ginger-garlic paste; 2 tbsn finely chopped fresh Mint leaves; 2-3 tbsn finely chopped fresh Coriander leaves; 2 tbsn of Ghee or melted butter; Salt to taste; For Labneh, the Yogurt dip:; 2 cups natural yogurt; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated; 1/2 cup fresh chopped Dill leaves (you can also use fresh Mint leaves instead); ¼ cup peeled and grated cucumber (optional); 1-2 tbsn extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tsp Sumac powder to garnish

ABOUT Persian-style Chicken 'Koobideh Kebabs' with Labneh, a creamy yogurt dip RECIPE

Traditionally made with Beef mince, this is a healthier, low-fat version of this succulent Persian delicacy made with Chicken instead. This classic skewered dish gets its distinct flavor from Saffron and a fragrant, tangy Middle-Eastern spice-powder called as Sumac, which is easily available at the major grocery stores nowadays. I personally believe that pan-frying these Kebabs helps in retaining their moisture and flavors more than cooking them in hot ovens or grills, especially with a meat like chicken that can get over-cooked very fast.

Ingredients Serving: 4

For the Kebabs:
300 grams Chicken mince
1 large onion
1.5 heaped tbsn Sumac ( Middle-eastern spice powder easily available at grocery stores these days)
5-6 strands of Saffron
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsn Red chilly powder
1 tbsn Coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Mango powder
1.5 tbsn Ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsn finely chopped fresh Mint leaves
2-3 tbsn finely chopped fresh Coriander leaves
2 tbsn of Ghee or melted butter
Salt to taste
For Labneh, the Yogurt dip:
2 cups natural yogurt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
1/2 cup fresh chopped Dill leaves (you can also use fresh Mint leaves instead)
¼ cup peeled and grated cucumber (optional)
1-2 tbsn extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Sumac powder to garnish

Instructions

Let us make the Kebabs first! Soak the Saffron strands in 1/4 cup of boiling water for 7-8 minutes. Set aside.
Grate your onion and squeeze out as much water out of it as you can. Discard the water and set the grated onion aside.
Put all the remaining ingredients under the Kebab list in a large bowl. If you are using Sumac for the first time, you can reduce it's quantity by a little but it is the key ingredient here!
Next, add the grated onion, saffron water and the saffron strands to the mixture.
Knead it all together like a dough till everything is well-combined.
Assemble mince on skewers and put veggies of your choice like capsicum or onion cubes on each end.
Take a non-stick pan and heat 2 tbsn olive-oil in it.
Gently place your kebabs in the pan and pan-fry each side till it is nicely browned and well-done. Each skewer stick should take about 6-7 minutes to get fully cooked from within.
Sprinkle some Sumac powder on your kebabs and serve hot with your favorite bread and Labneh!
How to make Labneh, the traditional yogurt dip: Place the yogurt in a clean muslin cloth and tie the ends. Let the yogurt drain for several hours over your kitchen sink or in a sieve over a container.
When the yogurt looks completely drained of water and rather DRY, flip over onto a bowl.
To this dried yogurt, add all the mentioned ingredients except for olive oil and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper and pour your fragrant extra-virgin olive oil on top of your dip.
Garnish your delicious dip with some lovely Sumac powder. Refrigerate to chill. Labneh is ready to be served!

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