Mar 28
This type of Shami is a bit different than the other types I have made. Even though it is fried and all like kotlet and shami, at the end Torsh Shami is cooked with tomato sauce which then it becomes soft. Its really good and goes well with bread and sabzi, or rice. You can even eat it plain.
Ingredients (4-6 people):
1 lb ground beef
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large onion
2 tablespoons tomato paste or 3-4 cups tomato juice
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
salt/pepper –desired amount
turmeric (optional) –just a tad
Directions:
In a bowl mix salt, pepper, turmeric, and the plain breadcrumbs with the milk. Grate the onion then mix the grated onion, eggs, and baking soda with the mixture of breadcrumbs and milk. Then add the ground meat to the mixture and mix all the ingredients real well.
Pour some oil in a frying pan and place it on the stove top (medium heat). Take small amounts of the Shami mixture and create round balls from it (should be the size of a tangerine). Flatten the ball in your hand and add a hole in the center. Place the Shami into the frying pan and fry both sides. Once the Shami’s are fried place them in a different pan, or in a plate for the time being.
Torsh Shami
Once all the Shami’s are fried and set aside create the tomato sauce. If you are using tomato juice then add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the juice. If you are using tomato paste mix 2 cups of hot water with the tomato paste (dissolve the tomato paste in the hot water) then add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Place all the Shami’s in a pan and pour the tomato sauce over the them. Place the pan on the stove (medium heat) until the tomato sauce thickens and the Shami’s fully cook (especially in the center, allow the Shami to become “Maghz Pokht”). This should take about 30-45 minutes.
Then serve the Torsh Shami with sabzi, bread, torshi, etc. 
Tagged with: Baking Soda • Meat • Tomato Paste
Nov 12
Shami is very similar to Kotlet (in my opinion anyhow) and is pretty good eaten alone or with bread. The most popular Shami is Shami Aarde Nokhodchi, which as its name implies is mainly made with chickpea flour. I typically buy the chickpea flour from International or Persian grocery stores.
Shami
Ingredients (for approximately 16 -18 patties):
approximately 1 lb ground beef
300 grams chickpea flour
1 medium onions — both need to be grated
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
salt/pepper
1 cup cold water
oil
Directions:
Shami - Mixing the ingredients
In a bowl mix the grated onions with some salt and pepper. Dissolve the baking soda in 1 cup cold water and then add it into the bowl and mix the contents. Add the aarde nokhodchi (chickpea flour) and the ground beef into the liquid mixture and using your hand thoroughly mash the contents up. If the mixture seems to dry you can add some more water.
Shami - frying
Add oil to a frying pan and heat it up (set stove top to medium heat). Take amounts (tangerine sized) of the mixture and form into a round ball, then flatten into a round shape in your hand. Form a small hole in the center and then place in the frying pan. Once one side is fried and has a golden brown color, flip the Shami (patty) over and fry the other side as well. Repeat process until all the patties are fried.
Tagged with: Baking Soda • Beef • Chickpea Flour
