Among other yummy dishes, my aunt Marjan and I just cooked up a bunch of Shamee, a delicious Persian burger dish. They’re already gone due to the steady stream of hungry munchers in the house.
Like Kotlet and Koo Koo, there are several varieties of Shamee. For this post, I’m focusing on the version that uses chickpea flour, or ardeh nokhodchi. Chickpea flour is a Persian pantry staple. It’s a light and healthy alternative to wheat flour and can be found in any Persian grocery store.
You can identify Shamee by that cute little hole in the middle and its round shape. I guess the Shamee hole is to help evenly cook the meat while ensuring the patty doesn’t burn or get too crispy. Similar to the genius of the donut hole. :)
The following recipe is courtesy of my aunt Marjan. It makes about 12-15 patties, depending on the size of your hands and your preference for big honking patties.
We ate our Shamee with some Lavash bread, tomatoes and crunchy pickles.
Ingredients
1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
7 ounces chickpea flour
1 large onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
½ tsp each of salt and pepper
1/2 cup cold water
¼ cup oil for frying
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, onions, dissolved baking soda, chickpea flour, salt, and pepper.
Make sure all ingredients are thoroughly integrated into a consistent paste. If the meat paste seems too thick, feel free to incorporate additional water. Be careful not to add too much water though. We’re not making sloppy joes. You’ll know it is the right consistency if you can easily form a hand-size patty without it easily falling apart.
Once you’ve formed a burger-size patty with your hands, make a small hole in the center of each patty. This will ensure the patty will cook evenly.
Fry the patties in a well-oiled frying pan. Enjoy.
