Persian Minced Tuna Kebabs

Name: Persian Minced Tuna Kebabs
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: ½ red onion; 250g cooking-grade tuna, diced; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric; Salt flakes and freshly ground, black pepper, to taste; ½ lemon, cut lengthways; 25g butter, melted; 8 grape tomatoes; Extra virgin olive oil, for rubbing; Sprigs of fresh herbs, flatbread and yoghurt, for serving; 25g butter

Persians love all sorts of kebabs and these minced tuna kebabs are a great alternative to the lamb-based kabab koobideh so popular in Persian cuisine. Cooking time will depend on how thinly you roll the mince and on the heat of your grill; tuna dries out quickly, so better to undercook it then check and grill for a minute longer rather than risk overcooking it. Wrapping the minced tuna logs in flatbread with grilled tomato and yoghurt (see Maast-O Khiar video below) adds moisture, so they’ll taste delicious even if they have been on the grill for a minute too long. Whether I’m making minced lamb or minced tuna kebabs, I love them with a glass of Momento Mori’s The Incline. This savoury, slightly funky, shiraz has hints of white pepper and intriguing notes of yeasty bread and roasted meat; I like it lightly chilled.

Serves 2

Ingredients

½ red onion
250g cooking-grade tuna, diced (9oz)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt flakes and freshly ground, black pepper, to taste
½ lemon, cut lengthways
25g butter, melted (1oz)
8 grape tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil, for rubbing
Sprigs of fresh herbs, for serving
Flatbread, for serving
Thick natural yoghurt or Maast-O Khiar (see video below), for serving

Method

Cut half of the onion into slivers and set aside.
Coarsely grate the rest and place in the bowl of a food processor with the tuna, turmeric, salt and pepper.
Pulse just until pasty.
Preheat an overhead grill until very hot.
Meanwhile, dipping your hands into a bowl of cold water to prevent the mince sticking to them, shape it into 8 thin logs and place on a foil-lined baking tray.
Press indentations along the top with your fingers.
Cut lemon into 3 wedges.
Squeeze the juice from 1 wedge and mix it into the butter. Set the remaining wedges aside.
Brush kebabs with lemon butter.
Roll tomatoes in oil and place alongside the kebabs. Sprinkle with salt.
Place the tray under the grill and cook for about 2 minutes, until kebabs are coloured.
Turn, baste with more butter and cook for a further 2 minutes or so, until just cooked through.
Remove from tray, arrange minced tuna kebabs and tomatoes on a platter and pour any cooking juices over them.
Serve herbs, flatbread, yoghurt, remaining lemon wedges and slivered onion on the side.